[ad_1]
On the last day of 2020, 6,951 new cases of covid-19 were detected in Portugal (676 less than the previous day), now totaling 420,629 covid-19 infections since the start of the pandemic, the General Directorate of Health announced this Friday. January 1. The health authorities also registered 4392 recovered cases, bringing the total to 338,668.
Regarding the number of deaths, the epidemiological bulletin published this Friday indicates another 66 deaths from covid-19 in Portugal, a figure also below the figures announced by the DGS on December 31 (76 deaths).
Despite the somewhat lower number of cases detected, Prime Minister António Costa has already warned that it will only be possible to measure the impact of Christmas on the pandemic from the “second week of January.”
On December 31, the DGS bulletin (referring to the previous day) announced 7,627 new cases of infections, reaching a new daily maximum of infections due to the new coronavirus. The infectiologist António Silva Graça had explained to the PUBLIC that the increase in cases for this time was expected due to the number of tests carried out during the Christmas season, which was reduced to August lows (December 23 was the only exception). At the moment it is not possible to know if the registered increase was linked to family reunions during the holidays.
The number of hospitalizations has decreased, with 34 fewer people hospitalized. There are now 2806 patients receiving hospital medical care. However, there is one more patient admitted to intensive care. In total, there are 483 patients who need this care.
The North region, the area of the country with the most infections on the last day, registered 2,745 new cases (39.4% of cases).
It is followed by the Lisbon region and the Tagus Valley with 2,131 cases detected by the health authorities (30.6%) and the center of the country, which verified 1,474 new cases (21.2%). The Alentejo registered 308 new cases and the Algarve 199 new cases.
On the islands 91 more cases of covid-19 were detected: Madeira reported 41 new cases and one death and the Azores registered 53 new cases. The Azores archipelago has again reported no deaths.
