Largest hospitals have been filling at an alarming rate, and they lack space and staff. Starting this week, COVID-19 patients will be admitted to Dobele, Aizkraukle, Ludza, Balvi and Gulbene hospitals.
It is done to free up places in major hospitals for more acute patients. At the same time, hospitals already admitting COVID-19 patients continue to adjust the beds to the growing number of COVID-19 patients.
“We can make second and third-tier hospitals take over patients from major regional hospitals and clinical hospitals as quickly as possible. We discussed this decision in depth with regional hospitals and agreed at this time to establish specific areas of cooperation, with the appointment of facilitators, so that information can be obtained promptly in these areas,” said Dace Mūrmane-Umbraško, State Secretary of the Ministry of Health.
According to National Health Service (NVD) data, on December 13 there were 760 COVID-19 patients currently treated at hospitals.
Last week, it was decided to announce a state of emergency in Latvia's healthcare system, which formally allows hospitals to reorganize work freely.
