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Portugal is currently still the country in the European Union (EU) with the lowest incidence rate of covid-19, according to the most recent data published this Thursday, March 25 by the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC), in the acronym in English).
In the last 14 days, Portugal registered an incidence of 71 cases of infection by the new coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the weekly ECDC report.
Data from the European Center also reveal that the incidence of covid-19 at 14 days in Portugal was higher in the age group between 15 and 24 years, with 96 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by the group between 25 and 49 years ( 93), from 50 to 64 years old (74), people over 80 years old (73 cases per one hundred thousand inhabitants), young people under 15 years old (68) and the age group from 65 to 79 years old (57).
In second place in the list of countries with the least number of the EU (considering only the 27 member states) is Spain, with 143 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and in third place is Ireland, with 149.
On the other hand, Estonia has overtaken the Czech Republic and is now the European Union country with the highest incidence of covid-19, with 1,521 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. They are followed by the Czech Republic (1,328), Hungary (1,146), Poland (717) and Bulgaria (620).
However, the ECDC explains that, in the tenth week of the year, fewer accumulated cases were reported in La Rioja than in previous weeks due to “the elimination of duplicate cases”, therefore the case notification rate for that period “ it is not representative of the current situation ”in that Spanish region.
In addition, on March 22, the autonomous province of Bolzano in Italy reported 10,665 additional cases with a notification date prior to January 15, a correction that “affects the rate of notification of covid-19 cases from 14 to 14 days for This region”.
In another explanatory note, the ECDC notes that, for the data from Slovakia, only cases confirmed by a PCR test are included. “The ECDC data collection methodology is being updated to allow the inclusion of cases diagnosed by antigen testing in the daily and weekly data on the total number of cases and deaths,” he adds.
With regard to Europe, Portugal occupies the 7th position on the list of countries and territories with the lowest incidence rate, after the Vatican, Guernsey, the Faroe Islands, Jersey, Iceland and Gibraltar. The European average now stands at around 323 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, which corresponds to an increase compared to last week.
The list of countries and territories in the world with the most cases per 100 inhabitants is headed by Wallis and Futuna (2,739), a South Pacific island administered by France, the Caribbean Netherlands (2,113), Estonia (1,521) and the Czech Republic. (1328).
Lisbon and the Tagus Valley and Center with incidences higher than the rest of the country
The color map published by the ECDC on the incidence of covid-19 in the European Union shows that Portugal has fallen to a yellow-brown level, which corresponds to an incidence rate between 20 and 59.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. . In turn, the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo and Centro regions are represented in light orange, which means that they have higher incidence rates than the rest of the country.
In a note accompanying the map, ECDC clarifies that this color representation is based on “data recorded once a week” and was prepared on March 24.
ECDC data by region also shows that the Lisbon Metropolitan Area now has a 14-day incidence of 79 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Centro (with 63), Alentejo (54), North (53) and the Algarve (fifty). The Autonomous Region of Madeira currently represents 330 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and the Azores 65.
Last week, Portugal also ranked in the best position in the European Union in terms of covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with a 14-day incidence of 93 cases of infection per 100,000 inhabitants. 15 days ago, Portugal was the third country in the European Union with the lowest incidence of the disease, but it came to appear, a month and a half ago, in the first place in the table, occupying the worst position in Europe, with a Notification rate of new cases to 14 days for every one hundred thousand inhabitants from 1190.
Portugal among the five EU countries with the fewest deaths
Portugal is also currently the fifth country in the European Union with the least deaths from covid-19, accounting for 21 deaths caused by the disease per million inhabitants in the last 14 days. Last week, Portugal ranked eighth on this list, with 33.
Globally, the first on the list with the most deaths per million inhabitants in the last 14 days is the Czech Republic, with 274, followed by Hungary (252), Slovakia (217), Bulgaria (202) and Montenegro (183) , all in Europe. The European average of deaths per million inhabitants was 52.
According to data published by the ECDC, the number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Portugal continues to drop significantly. On March 8, 1403 patients were hospitalized and this number dropped to 765 on March 21.
In two weeks, the occupancy of intensive care units has also been cut in half. On March 8, there were 342 Covid-19 patients in intensive care in Portugal, a number that dropped to 170 on March 21.
Covid-19 tests increase in Portugal
In recent days, the rate of covid-19 tests in Portugal has been increasing, a phenomenon that is already visible in the data and that is related to an increase in the number of tests after the reopening of some activities, namely , the schools. 1st cycle and preschool. The country currently registers an average of 2,578 tests performed per 100,000 inhabitants, according to ECDC data. Last week, Portugal counted 1,542 tests carried out for every 100,000 inhabitants. During the same period, the positivity rate for COVID-19 tests decreased from 2.5% to 1.2%.
Portugal is no longer on the list of the ten European Union countries that performed the least tests in the last week, and now ranks 12. At the top of the list of those that performed the most tests is Cyprus, with 36,927 tests per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Denmark (32,776), Austria (22,372), Luxembourg (10,142) and Slovenia (9971).
In total terms, France was the country in the European Union with the highest number of exams, with a total of 2,597,842 in the eleventh week of the year. Italy, Austria, Denmark and Germany complete the list of the five countries with the best ranking in this indicator.
