COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania

COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationLithuania
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseŠiauliai
Arrival date28 February 2020
(4 years, 8 months, 1 week and 6 days)
Confirmed cases1,400,088[1]
Recovered538,580[2]
Deaths
9,848[1]
Fatality rate0.7%
Vaccinations
  • 1,958,299[1] (total vaccinated)
  • 1,881,106[1] (fully vaccinated)
  • 4,604,858[1] (doses administered)
Government website

The COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached Lithuania in February 2020. On 18 March 2020, the first domestic case was confirmed, the first infected being an immediate family member of a known case.[3] The first cases of community spread were found in the country on 19 March and the first related death occurred on 20 March 2020.[4]

The Lithuanian government initially declared a quarantine from 16 March to 30 March, but it was extended several times[5][6][7][8] and was set to end on 16 June.[9] On 17 June, the quarantine was lifted.[10]

Starting from 21 October and lasting until 4 November, the government implemented color-based zones throughout Lithuania, with green meaning fewer or light restrictions and red meaning tight and heavy restrictions. But due to the rising numbers, the government announced a national lockdown on 4 November. The lockdown was set to last until 29 November, but was later lengthened until 1 July 2021.[11][12][13][14][15][16]

On 17 September, the last municipality with no coronavirus cases, Birštonas, confirmed its first case.[17] All 60 municipalities have since recorded at least one confirmed case of infection.

The vaccination program began on 27 December 2020, as in the rest of the European Union. The first to receive the vaccine were healthcare professionals working with COVID-19 patients,[18] followed by the elderly and other senior age groups with medical conditions.

Lithuania vaccinated one-third of its population on 22 May 2021. As of 1 July 2022, 72.59% of Lithuania's population has received at least one dose, while 69.77% have received at least two, while 34.74% of the population has received a booster dose.[19]

As of 21 January 2023, 4,529,015 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Lithuania.[20]

As of 23 March 2022, more than 1 million people have been infected at least once since the pandemic began.[21]

  1. ^ a b c d e Mathieu, Edouard; Ritchie, Hannah; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Dattani, Saloni; Beltekian, Diana; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Roser, Max (2020–2024). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. ^ "COVID-19 ligos apžvalga Lietuvoje" [COVID-19 disease review in Lithuania]. gislithuania.maps.arcgis.com (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Lietuvoje patvirtintas pirmasis neįvežtinis koronaviruso atvejis: užsikrėtė šeimos narys". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Lietuvoje mirė pirmasis koronavirusu užsikrėtęs žmogus". sam.lrv.lt (in Lithuanian). 20 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Quarantine extended was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Lithuania moves ahead with quarantine easing: all shops, outdoor bars to reopen". lrt.lt. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Lithuania proceeds with quarantine easing: small events, more services to resume". lrt.lt. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Lithuania extends quarantine, allows mass events and outdoor sports". lrt.lt. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Lithuania lifts quarantine – timeline of key events". lrt.lt. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Lithuania imposes nationwide lockdown". lrt.lt. 13 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Karantinas pratęstas iki balandžio, judėjimo ribojimai, išskyrus žiedines savivaldybes, galios pusę mėnesio" (in Lithuanian). 24 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Oficialu karantinas pratestas iki geguzes per velykas judeti tarp savivaldybiu nebus galima" (in Lithuanian). 26 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Karantinas pratęstas iki vasaros, daugiau laisvių suteikiama turintiems imunitetą nuo COVID-19" (in Lithuanian). 15 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Vyriausybe nusprende karantina testi iki liepos koreguojamos galimybiu paso gavimo taisykles" (in Lithuanian). 26 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Birštono savivaldybės gyventojui patvirtintas Covid-19 ligos atvejis". kvitrina.lt (in Lithuanian). 17 September 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Lithuanian healthcare workers start getting the COVID-19 vaccine". sam.lrv.lt. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Statistika Lietuvoje".
  20. ^ "Lithuania: WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard With Vaccination Data". covid19.who.int. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  21. ^ "lrytas.lt".