Latvia: Meningitis cases in Latgale up to 350, but seem to be slowing.

  • 2006-09-28
  • By TBT staff
As of today, there have been 342 cases of meningitis registered in the eastern Latvian region of Latgale. However, the speed that the virus is spreading has slowed down, according to Public Health Agency spokeswoman Laura Bundule. The outbreak seems to be concentrated in the larger cities. There are 105 meningitis cases registered in Rezekne and 237 in Latvia's second largest city, Daugavpils. Bundule said that one strain of enterovirus meningitis has been observed in Rezekne, but that three different strains were found in Daugavpils. The type of meningitis spreading in Rezekne seems to be spreading slower. Most of the meningitis patients are children aged 7-14 years. Epidemiologists working in Daugavpils and Rezekne areas have been working hard for the past month, visiting schools and talking to teachers and children, giving them recommendations about preventive measures. This is the largest outbreak of meningitis in Latvia during last decade. Epidemiologists in Daugavpils have experience in curbing the spread of the disease due to the outbreak there in 1997 where over 30 people fell ill.