Experts said the situation regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 in Latvia is currently one of the most secure in the world. On the other hand, travel destinations must be selected carefully, if necessary, self-isolating when returning or welcoming visitors from abroad.
On Sunday, seven infected persons had been in contact with the previously identified COVID-19 patients, in one case epidemiologists are still searching for traces of the origin of the disease, while five of them were guest workers from Uzbekistan who entered Latvia over the weekend.
The rules provide for self-isolation to be observed outside working hours and the employer is responsible for this. COVID-19 was detected at the time of entry.
“They can come, work under certain conditions, perform their job duties. They must not commute by public transport. At the moment, guest workers are in isolation. There is no risk to the rest of the society right now. In the last few weeks, in almost all cases registered in Latvia, people have contracted infection in a foreign country,” said Jurijs Perevoščikovs, director of the SPKC's Department for Risk Analysis and Prevention of Infectious Diseases.
Moreover, the disease is mainly attributable to countries that have been included in the so-called yellow or red list of countries which the epidemiologists advise not to visit at all or to do so with special caution there and observe 14 days of self-isolation after return.
Perevoščikovs explained that, despite the sudden increase in the number of cases, there is no need to reinforce the restrictive measures for the time being, as epidemiologists can track the spread of the virus. “Everything depends on how far we can limit the situation with normal measures. People's behavior and understanding are most important,” said Perevoščikovs.
