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The Rear Support Structure (EAR) installed in the cultural center of Viana do Castelo, which currently welcomes 25 covid-19 patients, will continue to operate until the end of March, the mayor said today.
José Maria Costa, who spoke with the municipal executive at the beginning of today’s council meeting, held by videoconference, for the first time with the participation of the press, explained that this decision is a consequence of the “current pandemic situation” that affects to the district of Viana. do Castelo.
“As a result of the contacts we have maintained, either through the Alto Minho Intermunicipal Community (CIM) with the Northern Regional Health Administration (ARS), or with the Alto Minho Local Health Unit (ULSAM), We decided to extend the transfer period from the cultural center to EAR until March 31 ”, he specified.
“It is the opinion of the Chairman of the ULSAM Board of Directors that it would be more prudent to maintain this situation until spring. There are currently 25 hospitalized patients in that space ”, he specified.
EAR began operating in late November and received the first patients in December.
In the opening session of the structure, in statements to journalists, the president of the district civil protection commission of Viana do Castelo Miguel Alves, said that EAR has 30 prepared beds, but can grow up to 120 beds.
“At the limit, if we had a situation of absolute rupture, of catastrophe, which we do not foresee, the space is prepared to house 200 people,” said the Socialist mayor at that time.
The structure was installed in April by the Chamber of Viana do Castelo.
It was initially scheduled to be deactivated at the end of October, but meanwhile, the Chamber of Viana do Castelo and the Alto Minho Local Health Unit (ULSAM) decided to extend its operation due to the increase in covid-19 cases in the region. .
ULSAM consists of two hospitals: Santa Luzia, in Viana do Castelo, and Conde de Bertiandos, in Ponte de Lima.
It also includes 12 health centers, a public health unit and two convalescence, and serves a resident population of more than 244 thousand people from the 10 municipalities of the Viana do Castelo district and some neighboring towns of the Braga district.
More than 2,500 professionals work in all these structures, including some 500 doctors and more than 800 nurses.
The covid-19 pandemic caused at least 2,075,698 deaths as a result of more than 96.8 million cases of infection worldwide, according to a report by the French agency AFP.
In Portugal, 9,686 people died from 595,149 confirmed cases of infection, according to the most recent bulletin from the Directorate General of Health.
The disease is transmitted by a new coronavirus detected at the end of December 2019 in Wuhan, a city in central China.
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