Flu epidemic has begun in Latvia, according to Disease Prevention and Control Centre (SPKC). The centre adds monitoring data for flu, Covid-19 and other acute upper respiratory infections point to a significant increase of flu infection cases in the last week.
In the Riga outpatient network, the number of flu patients has increased to 107.3 cases per 100 000 residents in two weeks, which also indicates that the established epidemic threshold (100 cases per 100 000 residents) is exceeded. The number of hospitalised influenza patients has also increased both in Riga and in other territories.
In the National Reference Laboratory for Microbiology of Riga East University Hospital, the proportion of positive samples in the examined samples has increased from 2.9% to 10.2%.
Last week, 38 patients were diagnosed with “flu” by general practitioners based on a typical clinical picture. Flu cases were recorded mainly in Riga – a total of 36 cases of influenza were reported. One case of influenza has also been registered in Jurmala and one in Valmiera county. Since the beginning of the monitoring season, children aged 0–4 years and 5–14 years are more likely to suffer from acute upper respiratory tract infections, as in previous seasons. Last week, the highest incidence was recorded in children aged 0–4 years.
Also in many other countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA) there is a sharp increase in the activity of the influenza virus, where the intensity of influenza has been increasing for four weeks, and the average percentage of positive tests in primary health care in the EU/EEA countries is 10%, which indicates the beginning of a seasonal influenza epidemic also outside Latvia.
The SPKC reminds that flu vaccination remains highly recommended, as the spread of flu may continue until the end of May. Therefore, a person can benefit from vaccination even if he has not received it at the beginning of the flu season. Immunity remains for an average for six months, but it should be remembered that protection after receiving the vaccine is formed within 10-14 days and during this period contact with sick individuals should be avoided. SPKC recommends that individuals in health risk groups use a state-provided vaccination option.
The main goal of vaccination is to reduce the risk of severe illness and death, vaccination against seasonal flu and Covid-19 is especially recommended for people who often develop acute upper respiratory tract infections in a severe form and who are at high risk of complications in case of illness.
Information is posted on the website of SPKC states patients in risk groups are eligible to state-paid vaccination against flu at medical treatment institutions.
The National Health Service reminds that during the flu epidemic, starting from the 19th of December 2024, home visits from general practitioners to flu patients (if the registered patient lives in the territory of the main activity of the doctor) are paid for by the state budget. These patients have to pay only the national co-payment for the visit – EUR 2.85.
Also read: Diseases caused by mycoplasma bacteria on a rise in Latvia
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Publish date : 2024-12-19 00:21:00
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