Coronavirus has already caused 380 deaths in Portugal. There are 699 more infected
The number of coronavirus deaths in Portugal rose to 380, according to information provided by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) this Sunday. According to the epidemiological bulletin released by DGS, there were 35 more fatalities in the last 24 hours.
In total, 13141 infected people are confirmed, 699 more than on Tuesday. 5903 are still waiting for the laboratory results.
So far, 1211 people have been hospitalized, of which 245 are in intensive care units.
The number of recovered cases rose to 196, 12 more than on Monday.
According to the epidemiological bulletin, the cases are distributed as follows: the North region has 208 deaths and 7386 cases; the Center region accounts for 96 deaths and 1865 cases; in the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, 68 deaths were registered and 3424 people were infected; the Alentejo region still has no deaths and has 93 cases; the southern region of the Algarve accounts for 8 fatalities and 251 cases of Covid-19.
Since January 1, 2020, a total of 104886 suspected cases have been registered.
Moments after the DGS daily bulletin was released, the usual conference started. In this, it was highlighted that the number of recovered coronavirus patients rose to 196.
Regarding the Portuguese curve, António Lacerda Sales, Secretary of State for Health, explained that this may show an “oscillation”, however the answer must continue to be “firm and determined”. “We cannot waver under the penalty of prolonging what no one wants to prolong,” he added. The Secretary of State for Health also concluded that “only together” will it be possible to overcome this pandemic that is currently experienced worldwide.
João Goveia, coordinator of the DGS task force in the area of intensive care, for planning and operationalizing resources, also made statements at this conference. “The response of intensive care has been excellent,” he began by referring, saying that despite the “chronic lack of fans, monitors and beds” in hospitals, this problem “has been combated”.
Already questioned by journalists about the possible testing capacity in the North of the country, António Sales guaranteed that a “reinforcement” of the testing capacity was made and explained that the Center zone was privileged in terms of testing because there is “greater density” of homes.
Asked about the lack of material for testing, the Secretary of State for Health clarified that there is no lack of “tests or swabs”. “We have difficulties with the extraction reagents, which we are trying to solve”, he clarified.
Graça Freitas, Director-General of Health, was also present at this press conference. Asked whether Portugal has already reached the peak of the new coronavirus or not, Graça Freitas said that it is still not possible to know if “we are on a plateau” despite the real and projected curves showing “a certain stability”.
Despite this stability, the Director-General of Health assumes and warns that it will be possible, in the future, to see a further rise in the curves if preventive measures are alleviated.
Asked about the percentage of the population immunized with Covid-19 in Portugal, Graça Freitas said that such a question can only be answered after serological surveys are carried out, which include blood collection and other mechanisms that will be sent to the coronavirus convalescence phase.
