As the number of Covid-19 patients declines, their treatment will be provided only in the largest hospitals

In view of the decline in Covid-19 incidence, as well as the decrease in the number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients and Covid-19 patients currently in inpatient care, it was decided at the meeting of the State Operational Medical Commission on 13 June that inpatient treatment for Covid-19 patients would be provided only in the largest hospitals in Latvia.

It is planned that from tomorrow, 14 July, Covid-19 patients requiring hospital treatment will be taken to Riga East University Hospital, Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, Liepāja Regional Hospital, Daugavpils Regional Hospital and Children’s Clinical University Hospital. Women in labour diagnosed with Covid-19 infection will, in turn, be admitted to regional hospitals, Riga Maternity Hospital or Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital. At the same time, it has been decided that so-called transit departments or beds will remain available in regional hospitals, and that, should the number of Covid-19 patients increase, Covid-19 departments in hospitals will be restored within two days.

These changes will enable hospitals to reallocate beds to provide treatment for patients requiring other types of medical care, the demand for which has now increased. The rapid increase in the number of patients is attributable to elective healthcare services that were postponed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. To reduce the occupancy of beds in higher-level healthcare institutions, patients whose condition is stable but who require completion of treatment should be transferred from higher-level healthcare institutions to lower-level healthcare institutions. Following the lifting of the state of emergency in healthcare, hospitals arrange the transfer of patients from higher-level healthcare institutions to lower-level healthcare institutions independently, using their own transport or engaging an external service provider.

Author:

Ministry of Health

vm.gov.lv