Covid-19, Latvia, Legislation, Markets and Companies, Medicine

The politician said that the suspension of planned services in hospitals will provide an additional 157 beds for Covid-19 patients.

Duritis added that there are still negotiations ongoing with hospitals, for example, in Balvi, which could be involved in the care of Covid-19 patients, meaning the number of available beds could increase even more.

Duritis pointed out that Health Ministry is currently actively working on mechanisms to increase the testing capacity for Covid-19, especially on the weekends when the number of tests is smaller.

He did not deny the potential for even stricter restrictions in the country in the future, saying that it is now very important for the public to comply with the existing safety measures to avoid such a situation, given that the development of vaccines could put an end to the pandemic.

As reported, the number of hospital beds made available for treating Covid-19 patients has gradually been increased in recent weeks, with the number of patients currently receiving treatment at hospitals reaching 552 at the moment.