The number of new cases of Covid-19 in Latvia has increased by 175% / Article / LSM.lv

Latvia still has the fastest growing number of Covid-19 infections – it has increased by 175% during the week, on Wednesday, October 7, Yuri Perevoshchikov, Director of the Department of Infectious Diseases Risk Analysis and Prevention, told the press conference.

In other European countries, the number of cases is rising, but not so fast, by about 24% on average.

Despite the intensive spread of the infection, the incidence in Latvia is still one of the lowest in Europe – 33 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days. In Estonia this indicator is 51, in Lithuania – 53, in Sweden – 65, in Finland – 31.

Almost 9,992 tests were performed this week from Monday to Wednesday, 175 cases were detected, the proportion of positive tests was 1.8%, a week ago it was 1.6%.

The largest number of cases was detected in Daugavpils – 60, in Riga – 49, in Aizpute region – 14, in Olaine region – 12, while in Kuldīga region, where a large outbreak was previously detected, only 3 new cases were detected this week, “hopefully the outbreak will end”, SPKC said. representative.

Of the municipalities, the highest incidence was in Kuldiga region – 407 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, Perevoshchikov informed.

However, he called for a critical assessment of this indicator, because in a small area with a smaller population, an outbreak in a company or school can significantly increase this indicator.

In Aizpute region this indicator has reached 293, in Olaine region – 138, in Daugavpils – 129.

Perevoshchikov acknowledged that the infection was spreading actively, but the good news is that when summarizing the results of the previous 2 weeks, “80% and even more specific cases were related to specific sources of infection or group disease” and could be traced, and this percentage is sufficiently stable ‘.

He explained that according to international recommendations, the situation is considered safe and the spread of the infection is controlled if about 80% of cases can be traced. T

in addition, it is also planned to agree at European level on an additional criterion, the proportion of positive tests out of all tests, which could be considered a very unsafe situation if it exceeds 4%.

Perevoshchikov also pointed out that Latvia conducts enough tests, testing volumes correspond to the indicators of most economically developed countries, “there is no fault that the number of tests is low”, the minimum test volume is set at 3 tests per 1000 inhabitants per week, but we have many more.

He also said that no significant foci were found this week, mainly “home foci” or infections in small work teams. However, it is a worrying enough fact that infections are increasingly occurring in educational institutions. Since the beginning of September, cases have been registered in 47 educational institutions, of which 5 and more people have been ill in 11 institutions, 10 and more cases have been detected in 5 institutions.

CONTEXT:

In Latvia on June 10 ended Emergency to declare the new coronavir announced on 12 March. The virus is still circulating and there is no medicine or vaccine for it. Certain restrictions still apply to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

The situation was stable during the summer, but at the end of September the incidence rose sharply and the 14-day cumulative number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population exceeded 25 cases.

In response to the spread of the disease, the government decided that face masks are mandatory on public transport from 7 October, exceptions are children under 13 years of age and persons with health problems. The government also calls on everyone to work remotely as much as possible.

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