There remains just one detected case of coronavirus in Latvia on the morning of March 3, according to updated information from the Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC).
In a Tuesday morning update, the SPKC said 17 tests for the COVID-19 virus, including two children, had been made during the previous 24 hours period with one proving positive.
The total number of tests for the virus carried out so far is 131.
Pēdējās diennakts laikā izmeklēti 17 pacienti (https://t.co/LPIlzS5Keh.2 bērni) uz COVID - 19. 1 izmeklējums pozitīvs, pārējie negatīvi. Kopā izmeklēti 131 pacienti.
Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš urged the public to follow the recommendations of the Health Ministry and SPKC in protecting themselves from the virus and said further meetings of the Crisis Management Council could be convened as and when required.
As previously reported by LSM, the single case of infection was found in a woman from Rīga who had travelled from Milan in Italy to Munich in Germany and caught a flight back to Latvia on February 29.
The patient was tested at home then taken, along with her child, to the Latvian Infectology Center where necessary help is being provided. COVID-19 infection has not yet been confirmed in her child, though there are symptoms of the illness. The rest of the family is quarantined at home.
The patient had no symptoms during the trip, so the risk of her infecting other people is considered low.
There was good news later on Tuesday when Baiba Rozentale, chief doctor of the Latvian Center for Infectology (LIC), confirmed to Latvian Television that the patient's condition had substantially improved and she would be able to return home, albeit under a quarantine regime. A second test for COVID-19 on the patient gave a negative result.
The patient arrived by car from Milan to Munich and returned to Latvia on February 29th with airBaltic flight BT226. 145 passengers flew on this flight, of which 24 are considered to have come in close contact. Eight of them are Latvian citizens, including family members. SPKC specialists have a complete passenger list, and all people who are considered to have been in close contact have already been informed.
Other passengers on that particular flight can contact the SPKC by calling 67081508, 67501590 or 27802228. The SPKC will inform the authorities of other countries whose nationals were flying on this flight, too.
After returning to Latvia, the family returned home from the airport by private car and had not visited work or educational institutions.
Persons who have travelled to infected areas must observe their health for 14 days after returning to Latvia. In the event of symptoms, call 113.
"The responsible services are acting on pre-existing plans that allow us to take the necessary measures to control the infection by taking care of the people suffering from the disease without spreading the virus and informing the public of the necessary action," Health Minister Ilze Viņķele said.
Up-to-date information [in Latvian] is regularly posted on the website of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) and SPKC social network accounts: Facebook ; Twitter and the Health Ministry social network accounts: Facebook ; Twitter .
