RIGA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian government decided Tuesday to extend the state of emergency in the country until April 6, said Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.
The state of emergency was declared on Nov. 9, 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the Baltic country.
A number of restrictive measures, including a night curfew at weekends, as well as curbs on retail trade, public gatherings, indoor sports and certain services, are in force during the emergency.
The Health Ministry proposed that the state of emergency could be lifted when the COVID-19 incidence in Latvia declines by two thirds.
To date, Latvia has recorded a total of 67,427 cases and 1,219 deaths.
As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in some countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.
Latvia began its vaccination at the end of 2020. The government planned to immunize 70 percent of the country's adult population by the end of summer.
Meanwhile, 237 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Jan. 29. Enditem
