The rapid spread of influenza continues in Latvia, and incidence levels are now close to the epidemic threshold, according to data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC).
The proportion of positive influenza samples has reached 9.1%, which is very close to the epidemic threshold of 10%.
Last week, 22% of patients who visited family doctors had respiratory infections. This is five percentage points more than the previous week. The average incidence reached 125.3 cases per 100,000 population, which is roughly twice as high as the week before.
The highest influenza incidence has been recorded among children aged 5–14, although the number of flu cases increased across all age groups.
Influenza circulation has been recorded in eight out of ten monitoring territories.
The highest influenza intensity has been reported in Jelgava. Cases have also been registered in Riga, Jūrmala, Rēzekne, Daugavpils, as well as in the municipalities of Gulbene, Jēkabpils and Valmiera.
A total of 317 clinical samples were tested for influenza viruses in laboratories. Influenza viruses were detected in 9.1% of cases, compared with 5.9% the week before. Since the start of the season, 68 influenza A viruses have been laboratory-confirmed. Of these, 51 cases were subtyped: 72.5% were identified as A/H3 and 27.5% as AH1pdm. No influenza B viruses have been confirmed since the start of the monitoring season.
After a rise in Covid-19 cases at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, incidence levels in Latvia have decreased, although the proportion of positive tests has remained around 5% over the past three weeks. During the week, 544 tests were performed to confirm Covid-19, of which 26 — or 4.8% — were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Last week, 31 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospitals, and for 23 of them Covid-19 was the primary diagnosis. One death was recorded in a patient with confirmed Covid-19 infection.
This autumn, the flu season has begun earlier than usual,
as evidenced by outpatient, inpatient and laboratory monitoring indicators, the SPKC notes.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the flu season has also started unusually early elsewhere in Europe. The dominant influenza A virus, particularly A(H3N2), can spread rapidly and cause more severe illness in seniors, people with chronic diseases and pregnant women.
Given the sharp rise in influenza activity, the SPKC once again urges residents — especially those in risk groups — to get vaccinated against influenza as soon as possible. So far, 116,077 people have been vaccinated with the state-funded influenza vaccine, including risk-group patients: seniors, people with chronic conditions, pregnant women and healthcare workers.
The SPKC emphasises that the primary purpose of vaccination is to reduce the risk of severe illness and death.
Vaccination against seasonal influenza and Covid-19 is particularly recommended for people who tend to develop severe forms of acute respiratory infections and have a high risk of complications.
Information about the medical institutions offering state-funded influenza vaccination for risk-group patients is available on the SPKC website. The list is updated regularly according to vaccine availability.
Specialists also encourage the public to follow general preventive measures: wash hands regularly, observe respiratory and cough etiquette, ventilate indoor spaces frequently, avoid direct contact with ill individuals, and maintain physical distancing in public places whenever possible. Patients with symptoms of acute respiratory infections are advised to stay home and follow their doctor’s recommendations.
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