RIGA, Jan 20 (LETA) - The New Conservative Party (JKP) might demand Welfare Minister Ramona Petravica's (KPV LV) resignation if the rapid spread of Covid-19 in Latvia's nursing homes is not stopped in the next couple of weeks, the party said in a statement. 

Although the Welfare Ministry has been repeatedly rebuked for the dire epidemiological situation in Latvia's long-term care facilities, JKP says that no real improvement has been achieved and the situation continues to worsen. Petravica, therefore, should be taken to task for this, the party says. 

JKP board member Gatis Eglitis indicated that while Latvia's overall Covid-19 incidence is gradually stabilizing, the situation in the nursing homes is only getting worse and the number of deaths is growing. "Is is unacceptable that the elderly residents of the nursing homes are left to their own devices and their protection is not given sufficient attention," the lawmaker said. 

"We have talked to experts who have pointed to several things that have to be done to curb Covid-19 in nursing homes, but this is not happening and instead we have been hearing all kinds of subterfuge for months," Eglitis said. 

JKP has invited Petravica to a meeting on January 25. "If certain measurable results are not achieved in two weeks' time, it will be necessary to assess Petravica's professionalism and suitability for her job," Eglitis said. 

As reported, in January this year, Covid-19 cases were reported in 80 social care homes across Latvia, said Ilona Liskova, a representative of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in a video conference of the Latvian Association of Local Governments.

She said that on January 4-17, Covid-19 cases were registered in 80 social care homes - in total 1,433 cases.

Covid-19 cases related with social care homes account for 10-11 percent of all cases registered daily.

Meanwhile, Welfare Ministry's social services department director Aldis Dudins, citing CDC data, said that the situation in social care centers has improved compared to the end of last year.