Researchers at the University of Tartu have discovered two mutations of the coronavirus which so far have been found only in Estonia. Eight more mutations which are also found in other parts of the world have been identified.

All the strains belong to the SARS-CoV-2 group A2a, whose spread probably started in northern Italy and has spread mostly within Europe, Aare Abroi, virology research fellow at the University of Tartu said.

Virus strains in Estonia can currently be divided into two categories, though further analysis is needed to establish in how many cases coronavirus has entered Estonia and the extent to which it has spread, and also if the two categories equate to the outbreaks on Saaremaa and in Võru County, at opposite ends of the country, the two most affected regions per capita in the pandemic so far.