RIGA - Latvia announced a COVID-19 lockdown from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15 to try to slow a spike in infections in one of the least vaccinated European Union countries.
"Latvia is world number 1 in infections rate", Health Minister Daniels Pavluts told reporters on Monday evening after an emergency meeting by the government.
Shops, restaurants, schools and entertainment will be closed, and only essential services available, he said. The lockdown will then be eased only for the vaccinated, he added.
"Our health system is in danger", Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said, blaming low vaccination rates in his country for the spike in hospitalisations.
(Reporting by Janis Laizans, writing by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, editing by Chris Reese)