Last week, the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Latvia increased by 50 percent, said Ilze Araya, spokesman for the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC), writes postimees.

If two weeks earlier there was a tendency to stabilize the spread of the disease, then last week there was again a sharp increase in the number of detected cases of COVID-19, notes SPKC.

An average of 550 COVID-19 cases were registered in Latvia every day, which is 190 cases more than in the previous week.

Epidemiological investigation of Covid-19 cases has reduced the number of tracked cases with a known link to another case or outbreak of COVID-19 to 47 percent.

Of those COVID-19 cases that could be traced, the majority, or 35 percent, became infected in the family, from family members or people with whom they live..

A fifth, or 20 percent, become infected at work, and just under 12% of positive cases - in health facilities, and the majority are medical staff.

Last week, outbreaks of COVID-19 significantly affected social care centers, where both customers and employees were infected. The proportion of people infected at workplaces has slightly decreased and? in educational institutions.

SPKC data show that at least 1 in 10 laboratory tested individuals with respiratory symptoms have confirmed COVID-19 infection, so the center reiterates not to go to work with any respiratory symptoms..

As the SPKC emphasizes, patients should pay particular attention to oral, nasal and hand hygiene and should not go to work or public places even with the slightest symptoms of respiratory illness..

Last week, the proportion of positive tests for COVID-19 also increased significantly - from 6.8% to 8.4%, and this percentage is even higher for those who were screened in connection with an acute respiratory infection..

The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 increased by 32% compared to the previous week, with an average of 62 patients per day, which is 15 patients per day more than a week earlier..

The number of such patients increased from 19 to 29. Seven patients aged 40 to 49 are treated in hospitals in serious condition.

As the number of diagnosed cases of COVID-19 increased, so did the burden on epidemiologists. Communication with sick people and contact persons can take a day or two, and in some cases even longer.