In Latvia, flu activity is reportedly declining, with new statistics indicating that five people succumbed to the virus in just one week. Since the beginning of the season, a total of 14 deaths have been recorded among flu patients, predominantly amongst those who were not vaccinated; 79% of this season's fatalities fall into this category, as revealed in a report by the SPKC (State Disease Prevention and Health Service).

The report highlights that clinically confirmed flu cases amounted to 216 patients last week, which translates to an average of 311.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This marks a decrease from the previous week, which recorded 309 cases, equivalent to 455.8 per 100,000 people. Incidences of the flu have been detected across all ten monitoring areas in Latvia, with particularly high rates noted in Jelgava (1205.6 cases per 100,000) and Liepāja (580.0 cases per 100,000). Children under the age of 14 continue to show higher infection rates, although overall cases have diminished across all age groups this past week.

Additionally, the report indicates that among patients hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infections, the highest proportion are individuals aged 65 and older. In outpatient settings, 20% of patients visiting healthcare facilities reported respiratory infections. This downward trend in flu activity offers a glimmer of hope, but the high percentage of unvaccinated fatalities raises concerns regarding public health messaging and vaccination efforts as the flu season progresses.