According to the center, this is partly due to the spread of pneumonia caused by mycoplasma bacteria. The highest incidence of pneumonia was recorded in children in the age group up to 14 years.
On the other hand, the human metapneumovirus (cMPV), which has been publicly discussed in recent days, is registered in Latvia and also in other countries every year during the seasonal increase in upper respiratory tract infections, according to SPKC. Currently, the data of the National Microbiology Laboratory of the Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS) indicate individual, sporadic cases of illness caused by cMPV.
At the end of this year, the proportion of cMPV cases increased slightly from 0.4% at the beginning of December to 2.4% at the end of December of the total number of samples tested. On the other hand, in the first week of January, it decreased to 0.4%, according to SPKC data. The symptoms caused by cMPV are often similar to the clinical manifestations of other seasonal viruses and tend to cause cough, runny nose and malaise.
Monitoring data show that seasonal flu is currently dominant, which is found in up to 20% of tested patient samples. It is followed by mycoplasma pneumonia in 13.8% of cases, Covid-19 infection in 5.1% of cases, while the prevalence of other circulating seasonal viruses such as rhinovirus, adenovirus and bocavirus does not exceed 2%. Currently, influenza type A virus is the dominant influenza virus in Latvia, which has been found in 87.5% of cases, informs SPKC.
As in previous seasons, children up to the age of 14 are more often affected by acute upper respiratory tract infections. The highest morbidity was registered in Riga, but in total, since the beginning of the season, cases of influenza have been registered in eight territories.
Since the beginning of the season, SPKC has received a total of four reports from medical institutions about deaths confirmed to be influenza. All patients were over 60 years of age and all had multiple co-morbidities, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic liver and kidney disease, and nervous system disease.
In December, the proportion of patients with severe acute respiratory infections in inpatients continued to increase from 3.9% to 8.1% of the total number of admitted patients, however, this number does not exceed that observed in the previous season, according to SPKC.
Since the middle of December, a decrease in the spread of Covid-19 has been observed in Latvia, which at the end of the year reached 5.1% of positive cases. However, reports of deaths in Covid-19 patients are still received every week from medical facilities.
According to the information provided by SPKC, in the first week of this year, SPKC received information about six deaths with confirmed Covid-19 infection. Since the beginning of the season, 78 deaths of Covid-19 patients have been registered.
In general, the epidemiological situation in Latvia currently corresponds to the season, the SPKC assesses.
SPKC reminds everyone to get vaccinated against influenza and Covid-19, especially seniors, people with chronic diseases.
Also, the National Health Service reminds that during the flu epidemic, starting from December 19, 2024, home visits by family doctors to flu patients are paid for from the state budget, if the registered patient lives in the area of the doctor’s main activity. These patients only have to pay the state-determined patient co-payment of 2.85 euros for the visit.
Source: www.diena.lv
