People were alarmed by the way the SPKC reported a record number of cases. Why was there a delay?

This week, on Wednesday, in the first half of the day, the SPKC statement left on Twitter was as follows:

4271 COVID-19 tests performed in the last 24 hours. The selection of unique positive cases will take about 3 hours. More detailed statistics will be published around 12:00.

– SPKC.gov.lv (@SPKCentrs) September 30, 2020

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The communication style was perceived as unnecessarily alarming by some social network users:

Something awful is expected!

– ormNormunds???????? (Blog News) (@n_karklinz) September 30, 2020

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Then we are waiting for the explosion of positive results!

– Harry Ginters (@Ginters_H) September 30, 2020

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Why was there a delay?

However, as Ilze Arāja, the head of the Communication Department of the SPKC, explained in a telephone conversation on Jauns.lv, Wednesday’s announcement that several hours are needed to count all new Covid-19 patients is related to the relatively high number of tests performed.

“We receive statistics on all positive tests, and our task is to collect unique cases. A unique case of Covid-19 is when a person becomes infected for the first time, but the laboratory collects statistics on all tests performed during the day – including those repeated in already known Covid-19 patients, following the course of the disease, ”Arāja explained.

A spokeswoman for the SPKC called on the public to understand that doing Covid-19 tests and compiling statistics on a daily basis means a lot of work.

“Due to the number of tests on certain days, we cannot announce the latest statistics as early as 10.00 in the morning, as usual,” said Arāja.

Record of new cases on Tuesday

As it is known, 4271 tests were performed in Latvia on Tuesday, revealing 95 new cases of the disease – such a large number of new cases of infection has not been registered in our country so far.

4271 COVID-19 tests were performed in the last 24 hours, 95 new cases were registered. A total of 320,018 examinations were performed in Latvia, 1,824 persons became ill and 1,307 recovered, and 37 died.

– SPKC.gov.lv (@SPKCentrs) September 30, 2020

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Related news

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The cumulative indicator of Covid-19 in Latvia has exceeded the limit of 16 cases

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Decides to introduce a personal surveillance information system to combat Covid-19

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Also on Wednesday, the SPKC reported that only one of the inpatients had a severe disease, but on Thursday, two Covid-19 patients already had a severe course of the disease.

So far, a total of 320,018 Covid-19 tests have been performed in Latvia, 1,824 people have become ill, of whom 1,307 have recovered and 37 have died.

On Wednesday, 4699 Covid-19 tests were performed in Latvia, of which 44 were positive, according to the data of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC).