We follow here every minute all developments on the spread of the new coronavirus in Portuguese territory and on an international scale.
8:33 am – Eurogroup discusses urgent measures
European finance ministers meet this Monday by videoconference to agree, with an “unprecedented” sense of urgency, measures to mitigate the economic impact of the outbreak of the new coronavirus, which threatens to plunge the European economy into recession.
“I have been in close contact with finance ministers, the European Central Bank, the European Commission and other institutions to prepare for our meeting. […] This sense of urgency and coordination effort is unprecedented in the eurozone “, wrote Eurogroup president Mário Centeno over the weekend in his official Twitter account.
Europe is taking bold steps to respond to the economic fallout of this crisis. I have been in close contact w / fin ministers, the @ecb, @EU_Commission & other institutions to prepare our Monday #Eurogroup. This sense of urgency & coordination effort is unprecedented in the € A 1/4 pic.twitter.com/pBZcyTkm6i
– Mario Centeno (@mariofcenteno) March 14, 2020
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In a series of four publications, Mário Centeno indicates that today’s meeting “will be dedicated to responding to Covid-19” and, recognizing that “most of the initial political action is up to the capitals”, he adds that he will lead the work towards the Eurogroup agrees “a comprehensive and coordinated policy response at EU level to this health crisis”.
“This Eurogroup meeting will be an important step on our way to contain the virus. I am convinced that, as the situation evolves, other steps will be taken. We will stay together to overcome fear and relaunch our economies,” he wrote.
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8:20 am – EU Health and Home Affairs Ministers discuss border control
The ministers of health and home affairs of the European Union are meeting today, by videoconference, to discuss the control of the external borders of the European bloc, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the epicenter of the pandemic is Europe.
On Sunday, the Portuguese Prime Minister highlighted the importance of this meeting for Portugal, given the country’s extensive air and maritime “frontier”.
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On Sunday it was announced that Portugal and Spain will limit circulation at the common land border to goods and cross-border workers. António Costa said that the terms of these limitations will be defined today at a meeting of the ministers of Internal Administration of the two countries, after the EU meeting on border control.
8:00 am – State of play
Portugal is currently on alert. There are multiple restrictions that will be felt, in particular, starting this Monday.
At the end of last week it was decreed that, as of today, daycare centers, schools and universities would be closed.
Visits to homes, hospitals and prisons are suspended.
There are also new rules for access to commercial spaces and new schedules, which have already started to be put in place over the weekend..
As of now, there are many people who are working from home. Some companies also opted for the preventive isolation of part of the employees on a 14-day rotating scale.
PSP, GNR and SEF may use force to compel someone suspected of being infected to undergo analysis or to be quarantined.
And the Executive indicates that there are more restrictions: the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the street is prohibited; Events cannot have more than 100 people; The terraces have a capacity limit; driving lessons and exams are suspended.
Also on Monday, new rules will be announced at the borders. Portugal and Spain will limit circulation between the two countries by land.
Portugal may come to enact a state of emergency
The Prime Minister and President of the Republic were yesterday assessing the situation by videoconference and this was one of the measures analyzed.
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António Costa says that if the President of the Republic believes that it is necessary to declare a state of emergency, the Government will not oppose it.
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A meeting of the Council of State is scheduled for Wednesday, also by videoconference, which may be decisive.
The numbers in Portugal
The Directorate-General for Health advanced yesterday that there are now 245 confirmed cases.
In the north of the country, 103 are now infected. Ten are in the central region.
The region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley has the most patients: 116.
There are still ten cases in the Algarve. And the first case in the Azores is also confirmed.
Alentejo and the Autonomous Region of Madeira are now the only regions without cases registered by the Directorate-General for Health.
There are 18 people in intensive care. Eight are in critical condition.
Global framework
The new coronavirus responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic was detected in December in China, and has already caused more than 6400 deaths worldwide.
The number of infected people reached about 164 thousand, with cases registered in at least 141 countries and territories, including Portugal. Of the total infected, more than 75 thousand recovered.
The epicenter of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic moved from China to Europe, where the second most serious case is located, Italy, which announced 368 new fatalities on Sunday, for a total of 1809 victims.
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