Health Minister Daniels Pavļuts said that Latvia is currently at a similar level as at the end of October last year, in terms of the 14-day cumulative Covid-19 incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants and hospitalized patients. He also drew attention again to the fact that 98% of hospitalized patients are not vaccinated against Covid-19 or completed the vaccination course.
The Ministry's forecasts suggest the mark of 800 patients treated in hospitals could be reached at the end of September or early October, which would mean the need to announce a state of emergency in medicine. At this time, services would be limited and patient movements between hospitals would begin.
On the other hand, at 1,100 hospitalized patients, which could happen around the beginning or middle of October, only emergency and acute assistance should be provided and patients would again be prioritized.
Finally, at the 1,500 patient mark that could have been reached in mid-October or later, hospitals would be overloaded.
The Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) said that this was "a pandemic of the unvaccinated that is starting to enter our hospitals and is expected to cause great difficulty".