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A “very specific” genetic variant of SARS-CoV-2, originating from the Lombardy region of Italy, entered Portugal through the northern region on February 20. Then it spread for several days, causing several chains of transmission, without being on the radar of the health authorities. The first case was not detected until March 2, more than 10 days later, and that specific mutation of the virus never spread to the south of the country. These are some of the preliminary conclusions of a new study coordinated by the National Institute dr. Ricardo Jorge, who was presented this Monday at the usual press conference of the DGS and the Ministry of Health.
“Today we already know that the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic in Portugal was caused by the massive dissemination of a specific mutation of SARS-CoV-2 in its main antigen, originating in Italy, and that this was responsible for 3,800 infections in Portugal, especially in the north of the country ”, began the Undersecretary of State and Health, António Lacerda Sales, citing the most recent conclusions of a study on the genetic diversity of the new coronavirus, a research project coordinated by the National Institute dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
Along with him, in the room, was João Paulo Gomes, from INSA, who gave more details about the conclusions of this new study, mentioning, however, that the final results will only be known in the next two or three weeks. “The beginning of the pandemic began with the introduction of a genetic variant from the Lombardy region and will have entered Portugal on February 20 in the north / center of the country,” having extended for 10 days without being detected, he explained. .
This was what led to the issuance of “some transmission chains that later grew” so that in mid-April 3,800 cases of Covid-19 from this virus mutation. That is, of all the cases that occurred in Portugal around April 9 or 10, 1 in 4 will have originated from this “very specific” genetic variantexplained the project coordinator.
João Paulo Gomes added that this genetic mutation did not occur in the south of the country, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the measures adopted in March, which will have “stopped” the spread of that specific strain of the virus. For the project coordinator, studies like this are important not so much to act immediately on new cases, but above all to learn “lessons” about the measures to be taken in the event of a possible new wave of the pandemic or for a future pandemic.
“It is important to understand how we got to the point where we got and how the measures taken were timely and effective,” he said, giving an example that shows how important it is to stop the virus by preventing circulation: “On the border of Portugal with Spain, we found that the coronaviruses that circulate there are genetically related to the coronavirus strains that circulate in those regions of Spain, and we verified that these strains are not found in other regions of Portugal ”. In other words, they managed to stop and limit themselves in space.
Asked about active outbreaks in hospitals, Graça Freitas guaranteed that the outbreaks are identified and are being investigated, registering mainly in health professionals, being investigated if there are chains of transmission outside the hospital site – “let these people circulate.”
Graça Freitas began by not identifying in detail which health institutions were affected, but, after looking at the tables that he took with him, he identified some of the outbreaks in health institutions: in a clinic in Guimarães there is an outbreak with 8 patients, which is already ending; in a clinic in Paredes there is an outbreak with 4 cases; In Póvoa de Varzim there is an old outbreak, from the beginning of August, in a clinic, with 85 cases and 1 death; and in a clinic in Vila Nova da Galé there is an outbreak with 7 cases.
Later, in the central region, Graça Freitas identified an outbreak in the Sousa Martins hospital, in Guarda, with 10 cases, which began on September 15; another outbreak in a medical wing of the Leiria hospital, with 8 cases. In the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, the DGS highlighted a small outbreak in a medical ward at Hospital García de Orta, with 2 cases, another outbreak in a psychiatric clinic in Lumiar, with 14 cases, and an outbreak in São João de Ávila, with 16 cases. An outbreak in the Egas Moniz hospital is also confirmed, but Graça Freitas did not specify the number of people involved.
Asked about the flu vaccination process, Graça Freitas explained at a press conference that the people covered by the first phase of vaccination “do not all get vaccinated on the same day.” The method is carried out through programming, especially in homes and long-stay units, where logistics are “more complex.”
“People are being vaccinated, not everything is the same day. In homes, where logistics is more complex, it is the health centers that organize themselves with the homes and continuous care units to vaccinate users, with the displacement of our teams to schedule the vaccination of residents and their professionals ”, Explained Graça. Nuns, speaking of vaccination schedules at the “local organization” level.
Graça Freitas also said that this year, the vaccination of health professionals is free, as is that of users. Hence, she states: “335 thousand doses are sufficient in the first phase, but it is necessary to be a local organization.”
