Estonia Tightens Measures Against 'critical' Virus Surge

Tallinn, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2021 ) :The spread of Covid in Estonia is reaching critical proportions, a top health official warned on Friday, as the government tightened restrictions to fight one of Europe's highest per capita contagion rates.

Estonia's infection rate is currently running at 887.75 per 100,000 inhabitants on a 7-day average and the pace is growing fast, officials said.

"The situation is highly critical," Ullar Lanno, head of Estonia's Health board, told reporters.

Lanno said hospitals were working at the limits of their capacity and planned vaccination centres may have to be used as Covid-19 wards instead.

The Baltic state's government also on Friday approved additional restrictions in a bid to stem the infection rate that will be phased in next week.

Church services will be banned and theatres and museums will be closed, while outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed only between 6 am and 9 pm.

University students, as well as most schoolchildren, will distance learn until March 28.

"Until the spread of the virus has calmed down and while there aren't enough vaccinated people, we will have to continue making the effort together and following the rules we've agreed upon," Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said.

Estonia, an EU member state of 1.3 million people, was largely spared during the first and second waves of the pandemic that have swept through the rest of Europe but has struggled during the current third wave.