The Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC) released its daily update stating that 244 laboratory tests were carried out during the previous 24-hour period, of which 4 were positive.
Consequently the number of confirmed cases since February 29 stands at 30, with a total of 910 people tested during that period.
Pēdējā diennaktī izmeklēti 244 pacienti uz COVID-19 saslimšanu, no tiem 4 pozitīvi. Kopā izmeklēti 910 pacienti, Latvijā apstiprināti 30 saslimšanas gadījumi ar COVID-19.
— SPKC.gov.lv (@SPKCentrs) March 15, 2020
In one small but encouraging sign, the number testing positive was down on the previous day's total of 9 cases, despite a roughly similar number of tests being carried out.
March 13 saw a raft of sweeping measures introduced in an effort to keep coronavirus at bay as much as possible, with further measures including international travel restructions added March 15, as previously reported by LSM.
The full rules and regulations are available to read online in English, and all members of the public are urged to read them and comply in a spirit of solidarity. Social interactions are to be reduced to a minimum and frequent and careful hand-washing is urged in a policy characterised as "social distancing".
Relevant information in English is also available at the website of the Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC).
Meanwhile ERR News reports that the country will close its borders to foreign nationals and non-residents on March 17. Anyone entering the country from March 17 must spend two weeks self-quarantining regardless of whether they display any symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Center party) said: "To stop the spread of coronavirus and protect public health the government has decided to temporarily reintroduce border controls on the whole border.
"All residents of Estonia and their next of kin can return to Estonia. We will ensure necessary transport for goods and raw materials, as long as the transporters show no symptoms of illness," Ratas said. By Sunday evening it was confirmed Estonia now has 171 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In Lithuania, LRT News reports similar meaures, with the government also imposing border travel restrictions and promising financial support will be made available to help companies through the crisis period. So far Lithuania has 8 confirmed coronavirus cases.
