The Directorate-General for Health (DGS) announced this Thursday the existence of a total of 1,931 deaths and 71,156 cases of covid-19 in Portugal since the beginning of the pandemic.
The death toll rose from 1,928 to 1,931, 3 more than on Wednesday. The number of infected people increased from 70,465 to 71,156, more than 691.
In the last 24 hours, 17 more hospitalizations were registered, increasing to 588 the number of people with covid-19 admitted to hospitals, while an increase of 8 users in intensive care was registered, in a total of 85.
Since yesterday, 386 patients have recovered, so 46,676 people have already overcome the infection since the beginning of the pandemic in Portugal.
There are 285 active outbreaks in Portugal, 44 in nursing homes
There are 285 outbreaks of covid-19 in the country, mostly in the North and Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions. The Government continues to say that the biggest concern is homes.
Of the active outbreaks, 44 are in homes that, in total, account for 705 infected between users and employees, of whom 114 are hospitalized.
The miter home in Marvila is one example. The institution, which belongs to Santa Casa da Misericórdia, is already in the second outbreak. With all residents and workers tested, 34 are infected: 17 are users.
Covid-19: Portugal with “worrying trend” but “moderate” risk
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) today placed Portugal in a group of States with a “worrying trend” of cases of covid-19, but with “moderate risk”.
“Measures taken were not always enough”
In today’s updated and presented risk assessment, ECDC points out that positive cases of infection with the new coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 disease, have increased steadily across the European Union since August, which shows that “the measures taken were not always sufficient to reduce or control exposure “, warning that “It is therefore crucial that Member States implement all necessary measures at the first signs of new outbreaks”.
According to the Center, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as physical distance, hygiene and wearing masks proved to be insufficient to reduce or control exposure to coronavirus.
Still, the agency’s director, Andrea Ammon, pointed out that, “until there is a safe and effective vaccine available, these measures remain the main public health tool to control and manage outbreaks” of Covid-19.
Member States were divided into three groups
In this updated assessment, ECDC divided Member States into three groups: those with a “stable trend and reduced risk”, those who have a “worrying trend, but moderate risk” and those that show “a worrying trend and a high risk”.
Portugal is placed in the subgroup with a worrying trend, but with a risk considered to be moderate, which includes countries where high and increasing (infection) rates are reported due to the high rates of tests performed, and transmission is primarily reported in young individuals, with a low proportion of serious cases and low death notification rates.
“Protecting vulnerable individuals is a challenge”
“This represents a moderate overall risk of Covid-19 for the general population and for the provision of healthcare. However, it should be noted that if there is a high volume of transmission over several weeks, protection of vulnerable individuals is a challenge, and since the impact of the disease on these groups is very high, the risk for this population remains very high “.
This subgroup includes Austria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
According to the ECDC assessment, the states that currently present the highest risk are Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Romania and Spain.
“Today’s new risk assessment shows us clearly that we cannot let our guard down. With some Member States reporting more cases than during the peak of March, it is perfectly clear that this crisis is not behind us “, commented the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, in a joint press conference with the director of ECDC.
The Commissioner warned that Europe is now facing “a turning point, and everyone must act decisively and use the instruments at their disposal”.
“This means that all Member States must be ready to launch control measures immediately and at the right time, at the first sign of potential new outbreaks. This could be our last chance to avoid a repeat of last spring,” he warned.
The Covid-19 pandemic has already claimed at least 971,677 deaths and more than 31.6 million cases of infection worldwide, according to a report made by the French agency AFP.
In Portugal, 1,928 people died from the 70,465 confirmed cases of infection, according to the most recent bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health.
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