In Portugal, in the last 24 hours, three more people died and 605 more cases of covid-19 were confirmed (an increase of 0.9% in relation to the previous day). According to the epidemiological bulletin of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) of this Wednesday (September 16), in total, since the pandemic began, there were 65 626 infected, 44 528 recovered (more 166) and 1 878 fatalities in the country.
There are currently 19 220 active Portuguese patients to be monitored by health authorities, 436 more than yesterday.
The region with the highest number of infected people in the last 24 hours is Lisbon and Tagus Valley, which added 290 new infections (47.9% of the daily total).
This is followed by the North (201 more cases), the Center (53 more), the Alentejo (42 more), the Algarve (13 more) and Madeira (one more).
Four more hospitalized people
This Wednesday, 482 patients are hospitalized, that is, four more than the previous day. This is the largest number of hospitalizations related to the new coronavirus since July 9, when 487 infected with covid-19 were in Portuguese hospitals.
In intensive care there are now 61 people – two more than the day before.
Today’s DGS bulletin also indicates that health authorities are monitoring 37 287 contacts of infected people (332 more than yesterday).
The three deaths in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region
As for the three deaths recorded today, these are all located in the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley. The fatal victims are three men over the age of 80.
The country’s overall fatality rate is now 2.86%, rising to 14.3% in the case of people over 70 – the main fatal victims.
Government creates 24-hour hotline to support homes. “We have to be better for the next one”
The government will create aa 24-hour hotline to support homes and carry out screening tests for workers at risk levels, announced this Wednesday, the Minister of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho.
During a hearing in Parliament, the minister also indicated that a reinforcement of the 18 prevention brigades spread throughout all districts of the country is planned. The objective has always been to “never lower your arms” and implement all measures to protect people, said Ana Mendes Godinho, recalling that the vulnerability of older people to a pandemic is known and how “homes have been places of great concern in the face of the current “moment.
Portugal has 2,527 homes across the country, with 99,500 elderly people. Of the latter, 60% are over 80 years olds, with 35 active outbreaks registered in these institutions, informed Ana Mendes Godinho.
In turn, the Minister of Health, Marta Temido, assured that “the State does not relinquish responsibilities”, stating that “a lot has been learned” and “in a very heavy way” with each death by covid-19 that occurred in nursing homes.
“We learned a lot and learned in a very heavy way, because with each of these deaths we feel that we failed a little and that leads us, above all, to think that we have to be better for the next one and that is what we are doing try to do”, said Marta Temido
29.7 million cases worldwide
The new coronavirus has infected more than 29.7 million people worldwide as of this Wednesday and has caused 939 935 deaths, according to official figures. There are now 21.5 million recovered.
In total, the United States of America is the country with the highest concentration of cases (6 788 471) and deaths (200 197). In terms of the number of infected people accumulated in the world, India (5,025,043), Brazil (4,384,299) and Russia (1,079,519) follow. Portugal appears in 49th place in this table.
As for deaths, after the United States, Brazil is the nation with the most declared deaths (133 207). Then India (82 124) and Mexico (71 678).
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