State of emergency declared in medicine

RIGA - The State Operational Medical Commission on Thursday declared a state of emergency in medicine, Health Minister Daniels Pavluts (For Development/For) confirmed to LETA.

This means that healthcare institutions will have more leeway to decide how to utilize their resources in order to provide healthcare services to Covid-19 patients as well as other patients.

Health Ministry earlier said that residents should perceive declaring a state of emergency in medicine as a last resort and realize that the situation in hospitals is very complicated and the measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 require every single residents' support.

A state of emergency in healthcare is declared in cases where the amount of immediately available resources does not correspond to the current or projected number of patients.

Further information about the state of emergency will be provided at special press this afternoon. Health Minister Daniels Pavluts (For Development/For), infectious disease specialist Jurijs Perevoscikovs, Emergency Medical Service Director Liene Cipule, Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital's board member Haralds Plaudis and Stradins Clinical University Hospital's board member Ilze Kreicberga will participate in the press conference.