The first to encounter a wave of sufferers are pharmecies. Complaints are identical: high temperature, cough, sore throat, runny nose.
A shopper at the pharmacy Kerija told LTV: “On December 24, at two in the middle of the day, just before going to visit others, high temperature, fever began. Full set. I woke up yesterday. No temperature. From 39 to 36. And I wake up this morning – my throat hurts.”
Ludmila said: “It's the ninth day of illness today. I began to feel sick before the festival. I called the family doctor, she told me to take a Covid test. Negative.”
But shopper Vija said: “I'm all healthy, except my grandson got ill. I've had all my vaccines, also for the flu.”
Hundreds of the sick call NMPD, almost paralyzing the service's work.
NMPD Chief Executive Liene Cipule said: “It has exceeded even what we expected, 2,000 calls a day to 113 and 300 to 400 calls related to temperature, wanting advice. But loading our line is putting those patients who really need a doctor at risk.”
The head of the service said that, in the event of respiratory disease or influenza, the family doctor opens the sick leave and prescribes medicine over the phone. People are most intimidated by the high 40-degree temperatures that hold for several days. And that's the reason that many parents take their children to the hospital.
At the Children's Hospital Emergency Center, one in three are diagnosed with influenza.
Children's hospital pediatrician Ance Repele commented: “The main problem is influenza, there is a lot of it, there is no availability of family doctors during the holidays and therefore they turn to us. High temperature, runny nose, vomiting and liquid stool for some children."
Knowing that New Year's festivities are also ahead, medics are calling that residents purchase medicines and be prepared. “It's the virus season right now, not just influenza and Covid. And we have to deal with it ourselves. Don't call, at least certainly not 113,” Cipule said.
