RIGA, Dec 21 (LETA) - As of today, the regional hospital in Latvia's eastern city of Jekabpils is suspending elective surgeries because of staff shortages caused by the spread of Covid-19, according to a decision taken by the hospital's board.

With the spread of Covid-19 reducing the number of medical staff available at the hospital and increasing the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients, the Jekabpils hospital has been forced to suspend scheduled surgeries. 

The hospital will now concentrate its resources for treating emergency patients and carrying out urgent surgeries that cannot be postponed or whose postponement can seriously increase the risk of disability or deterioration of the patient's health. The hospital's administration promised that each individual case will be assessed and patients will be admitted to the hospital in accordance with medical indications. 

Patients whose treatment has been postponed during the emergency will be first in line as soon as the Jekabpils hospital is again able to resume elective surgeries.

As reported, in relation to increasing number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients, the State Operative Medical Commission decided to declare the state of emergency in the health care system, said Health Ministry's state secretary Daina Murmane-Umbrasko.

Thus, the Health Ministry would order second and third level hospitals to take over patients from university and regional hospitals.

"We agreed that special cooperation territories are developed," the state secretary said, adding that this will help hospitals to more efficiently exchange information about introduced restrictions of services. Cooperation networks will be formed around regional hospitals.