RIGA:–Latvia's President Raimonds Vejonis, at 49 the Baltic state's youngest-ever head of state, underwent emergency heart surgery Wednesday due to complications from what his doctors initially described as a "viral infection". "Physicians found a septic infection of the heart valves," the president's office said in a Wednesday statement.
"Cardiologists, surgeons and a specialist team decided that the best way to eliminate the source of infection and prevent its further spread is to conduct heart surgery."–AFP
National broadcaster LTV quoted hospital spokeswoman Lasma Sile saying the procedure had been successfully completed Wednesday afternoon.