Influenza Incidence Remains High

Influenza and other upper respiratory infection rates continued to decline last week but remain high, according to monitoring data from the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

Clinically, influenza has been diagnosed in 182 patients, averaging 268.5 cases per 100,000 residents. This is a 15.1% decrease compared to the previous week, when the incidence was 316.4 cases per 100,000 residents.

Influenza cases have been reported in all ten monitoring zones. The highest incidence is still observed in Jelgava - 944.9 cases of influenza per 100,000 residents. A high incidence has also been registered in the Jekabpils region - 590.7 cases per 100,000 residents.

The CDC notes that last week there was a sharp increase in cases of other acute respiratory infections - compared to the figures from the previous week, the number of visits to outpatient facilities increased by 2.2 times, nearly reaching the incidence level before the holidays.

During the week, 942 patients with symptoms of other acute respiratory infections visited outpatient facilities, which amounts to 1389.6 cases per 100,000 residents.

The number of pneumonia cases has significantly increased, exceeding both the previous week's figures and those from the period before the holidays, with the highest numbers among the elderly. In outpatient facilities, 71 patients sought care for pneumonia during the week, which is 104.7 cases per 100,000 residents. This is 2.3 times more than the previous week, when the incidence was 45.4 cases per 100,000 residents.

The number of positive Covid-19 tests increased to 7.5% compared to 5.4% the previous week.

Overall, the share of patients with respiratory infections in outpatient facilities accounted for 19% of the total number. The previous week, this figure was 27%.

Higher incidence of acute respiratory infections, as in previous weeks, is observed among children under 14 years of age, especially in the group under four years.

Last week, five cases of death were registered among patients with confirmed Covid-19 infection.

Reports of deaths among patients with confirmed influenza or suspected influenza were not received last week.

Since the beginning of the influenza season, five reports of deaths among patients with confirmed influenza have been received. All patients were over 60 years old and had chronic diseases.