Influenza spread in Latvia is seeing a decline, but the level of virus activity continues to stay above the epidemic threshold as per the monitoring data from the Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC). Last week, cases of influenza fell by 41.9%, with a recorded incidence rate of 110.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, down from 190.4 cases the week prior. Despite this decline, the situation remains concerning as the virus is still present in all but two of the monitored areas.

Monitoring shows that influenza has been recorded in eight out of ten regions included in the study, with the highest incidence rate occurring in Jelgava, where there were 325.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This indicates a regional disparity in the experience of the outbreak, prompting local authorities to remain vigilant. The data suggests that while the situation is improving overall, certain areas continue to face significant challenges, thus requiring ongoing public health responses to mitigate further spread.

Laboratory reports indicate that last week, influenza was confirmed in 15.8% of the tested samples at the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, an increase from 12.4% positive samples the previous week. The majority of the confirmed cases were attributed to type A influenza viruses, alongside one case of type B influenza, highlighting the ongoing prevalence of these pathogens. These findings stress the importance of continued public health awareness and vaccination efforts to control the virus' transmission.