Measles case confirmed in Latvia, source believed to be wellness seminar

The information obtained so far indicates that the infection may have occurred on February 21st–22nd in Rīga at an event run by Lithuanian alternative wellness speaker Liutauras Viktorinas which took place at the Bellevue Hotel in Rīga.

"The causes of poor well-being are usually not physical. The consequences are already visible in the physical body, and the causes appear much earlier and first begin to form at the energetic level," according to the website of Liutauras Viktorinas, who says that during his seminars "people learn what they are made of and how to use it. They learn techniques and how to take energy, and energy and vibrations are everywhere around us."

In this case however, the cause of "poor well-being" is not any disruption in energy fields but a virus well-known to medical science.

An epidemiological investigation shows that the person with measles then flew from Rīga to Turkey on March 5th, 2026 on flight No. TK1758. The SPKC has informed the responsible Turkish authorities about this case in order to identify passengers who may have been exposed to the infection.

Liutauras Viktorinas' website notes that in March he was planning to hold a "retreat" in Miami, USA, with connecting flights listed via Istanbul.

The SPKC invites all people who participated in the Liutauras Viktorinas event in Rīga, as well as those who flew from Riga to Turkey on the relevant flight on March 5th, to contact SPKC epidemiologists by 24-hour phone number 67271738 or by email dezurants.riga@spkc.gov.lv to individually assess the risks and receive the necessary recommendations.

SPKC specialists are conducting an epidemiological investigation to clarify the circumstances of the infection, identify the possible source of infection, determine the patient's contact persons, and organize the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the infection.

As this measles case is likely linked to international travel, epidemiologists from other countries are also involved in the epidemiological investigation and the organization of anti-epidemic measures. Information has also been passed on to the responsible Lithuanian authorities.

The SPKC pointed out that "in the case of measles, it is especially important to identify and warn contact persons about the risk of infection, as well as to find out whether there have been other cases of the disease that could form new chains of infection in society. Therefore, it is important to find out whether any participant in the event had measles symptoms during the incubation period of the infection. In turn, the incubation period of the infection for airplane passengers has not yet ended, so it is important for them to receive recommendations for health monitoring and action in the event of illness."

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads from person to person through very small droplets in the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. The risk of infection is particularly high if you are in the same room as someone who is sick.

If symptoms typical of measles appear – fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and later a red, blotchy rash on the skin – it is recommended to stay home, contact a doctor, inform them of the possible risk of infection and carefully follow the doctor's instructions.

After being effectively eradicated by childhood vaccination programmes for decades, measles has made a partial comeback in recent years as a result of reduced vaccination rates.