Influenza vaccines are available for order by vaccination institutions; however, since the beginning of the influenza epidemic, patient interest in vaccinations has significantly decreased, said the president of the Latvian Association of Family Physicians (LAFV) Alise Nikmane-Aishpure in a conversation with the LETA agency.
Although this year the influenza epidemic started earlier than in previous years, it cannot yet be said that the number of cases at the beginning of January is significantly higher, as schools were on break for two weeks and many workplaces had holidays, noted Nikmane-Aishpure.
The head of the Latvian Association of Family Physicians (LAFV) predicts that a more pronounced rise in illness is expected next week, as students returned to educational institutions this week after the winter break.
Overall, according to her observations, the number of people willing to get vaccinated against influenza is increasing each year.
"We see that vaccinated patients either do not get sick or experience the illness more mildly than family members who were not vaccinated," emphasized Nikmane-Aishpure.
As previously reported, the incidence of influenza and other upper respiratory infections remains high, according to monitoring data from the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC).
At the same time, the CDPC emphasizes that due to the shortened workweek associated with the holiday breaks, the data may be incomplete and should be interpreted with caution. Complete monitoring data is expected next week.
Clinically, influenza was diagnosed in 216 patients, averaging 316.4 cases per 100,000 residents, which is 26.9% lower than the previous week.
Over the past two weeks, influenza incidence has decreased by 2.5 times, which the CDPC attributes to the holiday breaks.
27% of patients who visited family doctors participating in the monitoring last week were ill with influenza.
431 patients with other symptoms of upper respiratory infections visited doctors last week, averaging 631.3 cases per 100,000 residents, which is 15.4% lower than the week before and 2.7 times lower compared to the week before the holidays.
In ten inpatient medical institutions participating in the CDPC monitoring, the proportion of hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infections slightly decreased last week.
Among patients with severe acute respiratory infections tested in hospitals, influenza was confirmed in 20.4% of cases. The week before, influenza was confirmed in 22.4% of cases. Influenza type A was confirmed in 102 cases, and influenza type B in five.
At the National Microbiological Reference Laboratory of the Riga East Clinical University Hospital, 382 clinical samples were tested for the influenza virus, of which influenza was confirmed in 59 (15.4%). The week before, influenza was detected in 76 (19.7%) samples.
As in previous seasons, higher influenza incidence was registered among children under 14 years old. Last week, the incidence in this age group decreased, while in the age groups of 15 to 64 years and over 65 years, it remained at the same level or increased.
The highest intensity of influenza is still recorded in Jelgava – 1433.7 cases per 100,000 residents, as well as in the Jekabpils region – 519.1 cases per 100,000 residents.
Reports of new cases of death among patients with confirmed influenza infection or suspicion of it have not been received. Since the beginning of the monitoring season, five cases of death among patients with confirmed influenza type A infection have been reported. All deceased were over 60 years old and suffered from multiple chronic comorbidities. Four of them were not vaccinated against influenza.
The CDPC urges parents to closely monitor their children's health and not send children with respiratory infection symptoms, such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, or pronounced weakness, to school. The resumption of classes after the holiday breaks increases the risk of transmission of respiratory viruses, so it is also important for adults and preschoolers to take care of their health, notes the CDPC.
