A flu epidemic has begun in Latvia, the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC) reported to LETA.
The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC) announces the start of the flu epidemic from Tuesday, December 9, based on influenza monitoring data provided by the National Microbiological Reference Laboratory (NMRL).
From December 1 to 7, the proportion of positive influenza samples at the NMRL sharply increased to 18.1% compared to 9.1% the previous week, indicating that the epidemic threshold has been exceeded.
The CDPC continues to collect and summarize data from the current influenza monitoring period, which will be published in a weekly report. Specialists remind that the flu is most severe for elderly people and those with chronic diseases - cardiovascular, pulmonary, and kidney diseases, diabetes, as well as cancer patients, individuals with chronic infections, and those with weakened immune systems. The flu is particularly dangerous for young children and pregnant women.
The best protection against the flu and complications caused by it is vaccination. Given that immunity develops within ten to 14 days after vaccination and the spread of the flu usually continues until the end of May, it is not too late to get vaccinated against the flu during the epidemic, especially if a visit to a healthcare facility is planned, specialists emphasize.
The CDPC website provides information on which medical institutions offer state-funded flu vaccinations for at-risk patients if vaccines are unavailable in the family doctor's practice. The list is updated and corrected according to vaccine availability, the CDPC reported.
To avoid infection, it is necessary to follow general preventive measures; for example, specialists urge minimizing visits to public places, using public transport less, and frequently and thoroughly washing hands or disinfecting them with hand sanitizer. It is also important to avoid touching the face with dirty hands.
The CDPC emphasizes that it is important to avoid direct contact with sick individuals and, where possible, to maintain sufficient physical distance in public places. In conditions of increased risk of infection, especially for individuals in at-risk groups, it is recommended to use a medical face mask or respirator.
Patients with signs of acute respiratory illnesses should stay home, communicate with their doctor by phone, and follow the doctor's recommendations, specialists remind.
During the flu epidemic, home visits by family doctors to patients with the flu are covered if the patient resides within the doctor's primary practice area. These patients must pay the established patient fee of 2.85 euros for the visit.
