The influenza epidemic continues in Latvia, with monitoring data indicating a sharp increase in morbidity, reported bb.lv from the King and Disease Prevention Center (CDC).
The prevalence of influenza among the population has significantly increased in all age groups. According to the National Microbiology Laboratory, influenza viruses have been confirmed in 24.3% of the examined respiratory samples.
Influenza has been registered in all territories of Latvia, and in several of them, the intensity of the disease has reached a very high level.
Last week, the average intensity of the disease reached 746.0 cases per 100,000 residents, which is 2.2 times higher compared to the previous week. The intensity of influenza nearly reached the maximum level of the previous season (766.5 per 100,000 residents). An increase in morbidity has been noted in all age groups, however, the highest incidence, as usual, has been recorded among children under the age of 14.
The highest intensity of influenza was observed in Jelgava, which is also evidenced by the decrease in attendance at educational institutions. At the same time, high morbidity rates are also maintained in other regions.
In hospitals, during the 50th week, the proportion of hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infections continued to grow (6.3%). Almost half of the hospitalized patients (45%) were elderly people aged 65 and older, indicating a more severe course of influenza among at-risk individuals.
Last week, the first death related to influenza this season was registered — a patient over 80 years old with several chronic diseases passed away.
