Asymptomatic Latvian taxi driver's brush with Covid-19

Take note – story published 4 years and 7 months ago

Not everyone who has contracted the Covid-19 novel coronavirus experiences any of the symptoms, as was the case with taxi driver Lauris after he was infected through his father, according to “Panorāma” news on April 7.

“There were no symptoms, no temperature or anything else. I transported Italian tourists, did the test, it was negative, and I sat in self-isolation,” said Lauris.

He only eventually tested positive 11 days later. “My father went to the bank in Alfa. A high fever turned up after a few days. The family doctor diagnosed bronchitis and prescribed antibiotics, but they didn't help, and the doctor then diagnosed pneumonia. He was taken to the hospital. The hospital did tests, and it turned out that father has Covid-19. I live with my parents, so my mother and I went to do the test. I was positive, mother – negative,” said Lauris.

Other than a slight cold and mild cough, Lauris had no symptoms before testing positive for the coronavirus. His father's pneumonia is cured, but now the problem is that Lauris is home sick. “I still have to sit at home for a week. My father is well, he's going to ask the hospital what he should do, because I'm sick at home,” said Lauris, aware of the need for social distancing.

“I'm not one to raise panic, just a simple person from the nineties,” said the taxi driver.

As previously reported, to mitigate the risks of further spread of Covid-19 among the population, the Latvian government adopted stricter regulations to limit gatherings of people in private and public events, which it said were "in line with the epidemiological situation." 

The new restrictions on physical proximity apply to public indoor and outdoor activities and establish the rule that no more than two people may meet and that they must maintain a distance from each other of at least two meters. Furthermore, during the state of emergency meetings are prohibited - except for the holding of funeral ceremonies outdoors, which will also be subject to a two-meter interpersonal distance.

Any public events, as well as meetings, marches and pickets are prohibited. Indoor sports and religious activities are also prohibited. All encounters in public spaces - indoor, outdoor and communal areas - must comply with the two-meter distancing rule as well.

At the request of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the National Police will be able to request information from electronic communications merchants on specific individuals who may have the status of infected or contact persons to conduct epidemiological investigations and verify the accuracy of the information provided by the person - in other words, quarantine-breakers will in theory be easier to trace.

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