The Minister acknowledged that Latvian hospitals currently have 250 “infectious beds” that are available and specifically intended for the treatment of infectious disease patients. “They are filled right now,” the politician explained.
According to the Minister, the next step will be to expand the number of beds “with relatively minor rearrangements” in order to double the number of such beds. Nikele explained that the critical 80% fulfillment of “Covid-19 beds”, which is one of the criteria for introducing the highest, “red level” security measures in Latvia, should be counted, taking into account the additional available beds, respectively 450-500 beds borders.
She said that it was necessary to keep in mind that accurate calculations are influenced by a number of factors that are difficult to predict, such as the availability of staff. The number of medical staff is affected, for example, by the extent to which medical facilities are forced to quarantine staff.
“When deciding on the next degree of restriction, we put a number of factors together, but we can’t give an exact figure. It’s not because something is hidden, but it depends on the number of patients being hospitalized with acute needs and medical staff. Indicatively, they would be 500 beds, “said the politician.
Liene Cipule, Director of the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD), also agreed with LTV. She noted that Latvian hospitals have about 8,500 beds and 10% of them could try to adapt Covid-19 to the needs of patients, but it would be a very big challenge. Cipule also emphasized that in addition to beds, it is a great challenge to provide doctors who can help these patients.
She said that the physical sampling capacity of the Covid-19 tests had reached 7,000 units per day, while laboratories could process 8,000 samples per day. The minister said that according to the information in her possession, the queues for the tests “have actually been cleaned up”, in addition, the new Covid-19 testing algorithm with a referral from a doctor is stabilizing. The Minister emphasized that the increase in the number of tests should be organized through more extensive testing in collective and routine screening.