“We're in a very fragile situation. Approximately 800 patients can be treated simultaneously at Stradiņš Hospital. Imagine that if we count in general, two Stradiņš hospitals in Latvia are full of patients who are in a very severe condition, because they are literally suffocating. This means that such two hospitals are unavailable to regular patients. So the blow to the health system is dramatic,” explained Dumpis.
He estimated that in the coming weeks, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals shouldn't grow, but it won't drop sharply either. Forecasts show that approximately 1,000 Covid-19 patients will also be treated in hospitals by the winter holidays.
“Normal healthcare could only be discussed if the number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized was below 500,” said the infectologist.
If the restrictions imposed currently are lifted, the situation will significantly deteriorate in Latgale. Therefore, the rest of Latvia should be prepared to support Latgale hospitals, said Dumpis.
