Influenza continues spreading in Latvia. Infection rates are currently the highest in Riga and Jēkabpils, according to monitoring data from the Disease Prevention and Control Centre (SPKC).
Influenza prevalence averages 168.1 cases per 100 000 inhabitants and gradually continues to increase, the centre reports.
Last week, outpatient institutions registered cases of influenza in all ten monitoring areas, four of which have increased to an average level.
The highest number of influenza cases was recorded in Riga – 227.6 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, and the intensity has increased in the last week.
It is followed by Jekabpils municipality with the highest morbidity – 261 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, Valmiera municipality with 236.4 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, as well as Jurmala with 225 cases per 100 000 people and Liepaja with 121.9 cases per such number of inhabitants.
For the first time since the beginning of monitoring, cases of influenza in outpatient institutions have also been detected in Rezekne, Gulbene region, Jelgava, Ventspils and Daugavpils.
Two fatalities have been reported in patients with a confirmed influenza A infection in the past week. A total of six fatalities have been reported in patients with confirmed influenza since the start of the season. All of the dead were over 60 years old and all had been diagnosed with a number of chronic diseases.
At the same time, the SPKC notes that in the last four weeks of 2024, the proportion of positive influenza tests directly in hospital care facilities has increased rapidly. Last week, 363 patients were tested for influenza in hospitals, including 13.8% confirmed influenza.
Last week, the number of patients admitted to hospitals with influenza decreased to 3.8% of the total number of patients compared to the previous week.
In turn, outpatient referrals for other upper respiratory tract infections have doubled compared to the previous two weeks and were 1 372 per 100 000 residents.
SPKC adds, however, that in the previous two weeks, due to holidays, the opening hours of outpatient institutions have been shortened. At the same time, the centre indicates that the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections during this period does not exceed the average of the previous five seasons.
Last week, 96 patients with pneumonia, or 141.5 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, turned to GP practices. There is a sharp decrease in morbidity, which can be partly explained by holiday holidays and reduced opening hours of outpatient institutions, SPKC notes.
In cases of severe acute respiratory infection, 177 patients were admitted to hospitals. In the past week, the proportion of these patients has fallen to 3.8% of those hospitalized together. The number of inpatients has increased slightly in all age groups, especially from 65 years of age.
On the other hand, 862 tests were carried out last week to confirm or exclude Covid-19. Of these, 42, or 4.9%, were positive, up slightly from a week ago when 4.7% were positive.
The number of patients admitted to hospitals with Covid-19 infection has also increased slightly – 42 patients were admitted to hospitals with this diagnosis last week. A total of 93 patients with Covid-19 infection were treated in hospitals last week, including 40 patients with the basic diagnosis of Covid-19. Two patients had a severe course of the disease.
One patient with a confirmed Covid-19 infection died the previous week and the total number of deaths with a confirmed Covid-19 infection since the start of the flu season is 79.