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RIGA, Jan 7 (LETA) - Suspected cases of the new Covid-19 variant, considered to be even more contagious and dangerous than the original virus, have been found in medics and patients at the local hospital in the central Latvian town of Ogre, the hospital's board chairman Dainis Sirovs informed LETA.

The head of the hospital said that the new coronavirus strain causes severe symptoms and that the medics are worried.

Later, however, Sirovs said that the presence of the new Covid-19 strain in the hospital has not been proven by lab tests but that the high degree of contagiousness and severity of symptoms make these suspected cases very different from what the hospital saw in the spring. 

"While in the spring using PPE allowed to avoid the infection, now it is possible to catch it even when using PPE and following all the protection guidelines," Sirovs said. Also, detecting the virus is very tricky as the test can be negative one day and positive two days later. "Our employees that have fallen ill are suffering very severe symptoms like prolonged fatigue, breathing difficulties, high body temperature and loss of appetite," the doctor said.

"We test our staff on a regular basis, which helps detect infections. We are very pleased than thanks to the vaccination opportunity our hospital's medics and other employees will be able to keep providing healthcare services to the patients," Sirovs said.

As reported, considering reports of a a new Covid-19 strain circulating in the UK, Latvia, as well as other European countries, has banned passenger traffic with the UK from December 21 until January 1. At present, Covid-19 tests and a ten-day period of self-isolation are mandatory for all persons arriving to Latvia from the UK and South Africa under a decree issued by the government.

Earlier, the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) said that cases of the new Covid-19 variant have been reported also in Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland and Australia.