In a country of 10 million people, 4,153 new infections were recorded in one day, about 50 percent (1,928 infected) in the Lisbon region. This is the highest number nationwide since February 10, when Portugal was under a strict quarantine. Today, a total of 734 new patients were admitted to the hospital. The Department of Health (DGS) of the Ministry of Health said that although the total number of patients receiving care in the Portuguese hospital has decreased somewhat, the number of patients in intensive care units rose to 171 today, the highest level since March 19.
The delta variant has become the dominant one among coronavirus infections in the country, having previously caused a sharp increase in the number of infected people. According to a recent report from the National Institute of Public Health (INSA), the relative infection rate of the specific variant in India was close to 90 percent in the week ending July 4.
In Lisbon and its suburbs, as well as in Portugal’s southern Algarve region, which is visited by tourists, during the same period, the Indian delta mutant was responsible for 100 percent of the infections, according to an Insa report. In order to limit the spread of the most contagious type, the government decided last week to extend the use of the protection card, among other things, in hotels and restaurants in the most affected areas. They restrict restaurant hours and impose a nightly curfew, previously imposed only in the 45 most affected settlements. The restrictions now affect 60 settlements.
Almost all of the municipalities involved are located in the regions of Lisbon and the Algarve, and restrictive measures have been introduced in several major northern cities, including Porto and Braga. In Portugal, 60 percent of the population has already received the first dose of the vaccine and 42 percent have received the full dose, according to the latest DGS data.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, 1,7182,000 deaths and 916,559 cases have been recorded in the Iberian country, according to the health authorities.
