Riga, Nov. 11, LETA. The number of Covid-19 cases detected in Latvia in the seven-day period has increased by 30% compared to the previous seven days, Jurijs Perevoščikovs, Director of the Infectious Diseases Risk Analysis and Prevention Department of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC), told reporters.
He explained that the 30% trend is observed for several days in a row, but with small deviations. “This shows that the situation is developing in the so-called medium scenario – moderate spread and moderate increase. The worst case scenario observed earlier was an increase of 60%, but, according to the epidemiologist, it only happened for one week.
In the opinion of the epidemiologist, the optimal option in the current situation would be, of course, if there were no increase, but currently “we are in the middle – between 60% and 0%”.
Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized patients has increased by 28%, which, according to the epidemiologist, actually keeps pace with the increase in morbidity. Perevoshchikov also explained that about 15% of the cases detected this week will require hospitalization next week.
In the international context, Latvia is still one of the countries with the lowest morbidity. “There are not many such countries left on the map. Even Lithuania reached and exceeded the European Union average,” Perevoschikov said, adding that Latvia is still below this indicator.
At the same time, there is a sufficiently stable but slow upward trend in the proportion of positive Covid-19 tests. Over a seven-day period, an average of 5% of Covid-19 tests were positive, compared with 4.5% the previous week. As a result, the proportion of positive Covid-19 tests has increased by 0.5% over the weeks.
The SPCC has previously explained that this figure is considered important in the European Union, as above 4%, the spread of the disease is considered to be rapid and uncontrolled.
The epidemiologist also emphasized that it would not be appropriate to assess the situation on a daily basis from that day’s data, but that it should be monitored over a week or two weeks in order to identify trends in prevalence.
It has already been reported that on Tuesday, the largest number of new cases of Covid-19 was detected in Latvia in one day – 453 cases, according to the data compiled by the SPKC.
Two people who had been confirmed to be infected with Covid-19 died last day. The patients who died yesterday were in the age groups of 75 to 80 years and 65 to 70 years.
So far, 105 people with confirmed Covid-19 infection have died in Latvia.
Yesterday, the highest record of Covid-19 tests was achieved in Latvia and a total of 7,621 people were tested. The proportion of positive tests reached 5.9% last day. The SPCC has previously explained that this figure is considered important in the European Union, as above 4%, the spread of the disease is considered to be rapid and uncontrolled.
So far, a total of 8,848 people have been confirmed infected in Latvia, but 1,471 people have recovered from Covid-19.
Meanwhile, slightly more positive news has been received from hospitals that have discharged more Covid-19 patients than have been admitted. On Tuesday, 31 Covid-19 patients were hospitalized and 41 were discharged, according to data compiled by the National Health Service.
A total of 299 Covid-19 patients are currently being treated in Latvian hospitals, of whom 282 have a moderate course of disease and 17 have a severe course of the disease. The Minister of Health Ilze Hänķele (AP) has noted that it would be critical for the Latvian hospital system if the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals started to reach over 500.
To date, 671 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals.
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