VILNIUS, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania has confirmed a record 6,234 new coronavirus infections and nine deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, Statistics Lithuania reported on Wednesday.
The 14-day infection rate, spiked by the fast spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, has risen to 1,861.7 per 100,000 people, and the seven-day percentage of positive tests has jumped to 22.9 percent.
Lithuania's Ministry of Health has updated its pandemic management rules that entered into force on Jan. 17.
Those attending public indoor events will now be required to wear respirators (of at least FFP2 grade) instead of regular face masks. Exceptions apply to children under six and people who cannot wear respirators due to health conditions.
People, even the vaccinated, who have had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case will have to be isolated for seven days and wear face masks for ten days afterwards while interacting with other people.
Those who tested positive for COVID-19 are required to self-isolate for ten days. This period can be reduced to seven days in cases of asymptomatic infections.
Unvaccinated travelers must go into self-isolation for seven days after arrival in Lithuania.
Faced with the requirement to wear face masks, parents have noticed that the respirators available on the market are only suitable for adults and there are no FFP2 or FFP3 level respirators available in the country for children, the news website 15min reported. ■