[ad_1]
Since the end of August, the epidemiological curve has increased exponentially, compared to previous weeks. The epidemiological bulletin of the General Health Directorate reports this Monday 613 new cases of contagion by the new coronavirus, four deaths and 493 more active cases in the country.
But, according to the Secretary of State for Health, more than 51 percent of new infections occur in people ages 20 to 49.
“We are in a new phase of the pandemic, of the 613 new cases today, only 10 percent are over 70 years old, the age group where the risk of complications from Covid-19 is highest”Said António Lacerda Sales at the regular conference on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Lacerda Sales also defended that these numbers require “a collective reflection” on individual behaviors.
“More than 51 percent of new infections” were observed in people aged 20 to 49, which, if on the one hand, “is good news”, because it shows that “health has been preserved.” more vulnerable “, on the other hand, requires” a collective reflection on our individual behaviors “.
In fact, considering that the country is entering a “At a time when the mobility of the majority of citizens is increasing, with the return of holidays and, above all, with the beginning of the school year, today and during the week throughout the country, it is important that we are all aware of our role in limiting the spread of the virus “.
In this sense, the Secretary of State recalled that “We cannot doubt this path of containment, which is the only one we have at the moment, in which Portugal will once again enter a generalized contingency situation throughout the country.”
“We have the obligation to do everything on the street, at work and in the family so that our National Health Service, which will be 41 years old tomorrow, continues to have the capacity to respond to this disease, but also to all the others.”said the ruler.
To guarantee the response capacity of the SNS, António Lacerda Sales assured that health services will continue to be strengthened, recalling that since March more than 4,700 health professionals have been hired to combat the pandemic.
The Secretary of State also assured that, at this time, there is no “pressure on the health system”.
In turn, the Director General of Health indicated that the current epidemiological pattern in Portugal, in which new cases appear mainly in relatively healthy young adults, “is somewhat protective against mortality.”
“There is this effort to protect the most vulnerable”, which are the oldest and sickest populations, and “the current epidemiological pattern of distribution of new cases does not predict an increase in mortality”said Graça Freitas.
According to the Director General of Health, a “different pattern” from that seen in the early phase of the epidemic when many older people were infected and fatality was higher.
However, he assured, the health authorities will remain very vigilant and will monitor the cases in terms of incidence, their severity in terms of hospitalization and hospitalization in intensive care units and their “maximum severity” which is expressed in lethality and mortality. .
Last Friday, September 11, was the day that the largest number of tests was carried out in Portugal since the start of the pandemic. According to the Secretary of State for Health, 21,700 tests were carried out on that day alone.
“The week that ended registered an average of more than 17,500 tests per day, the highest since the start of the pandemic with three days with more than 20,000 tests”said António Lacerda Sales.
As of Saturday, Portugal had a rate of 222,527 tests per million inhabitants, the sixth highest among the countries of the European Union, he also noted.
The Secretary of State reinforced that “the tests are, and will continue to be, a fundamental instrument in an integrated approach to the control of the pandemic”, recalling that “Portugal has made notable efforts in expanding its laboratory capacity to carry out Covid-19 tests.”
There are currently 102 laboratories in this network, 42 of which in the National Health Service (SNS) and “last Friday the 11th was the day in which the largest number of tests were carried out since the pandemic began, more than 21,700” .
At the press conference, the health authorities stated that they will not stop using all legal means to prevent the spread of the virus, especially with regard to the return of the public to football.
“When the country goes into a state of contingency, football cannot give the opposite signal”, highlighted António Lacerda Sales.
“The Government will remain committed to allowing sport and football to return to normal, but the health authorities do not renounce to use all legal and public health means to limit the spread of the virus.”, Held.
After the postponement of the matches of the II Liga Feirense-Desportivo de Chaves and Academico de Viseu-Académica, which should have been played last weekend, António Lacerda Sales pointed out that “The evaluation conditions are at the discretion of the local health authorities.”
“The evaluation conditions will always be very different from one place to another, because the epidemiological conditions are different from one place to another. For different problems, we will find different solutions. At a time when the country rises to the state of contingency, soccer or whatever. other activity, cannot give contrary signals “, clarified the Secretary of State.
Lizard Salts recalled that “There are very specific local rules and situations, which work differently”, exemplifying that “on the weekend, the condition in Viseu would not be the same as in other places and regions”.
Lacerda Sales also considered that “football will want to maintain the excellent image left by last season’s recovery”, before leaving a comment: “We may like football and evaluate an offside rule, but football surely not will want to evaluate public health standards in a technical-scientific way ”.
Quarantine in private school
In public schools it is only this week that classes begin, but in some private educational institutions face-to-face teaching has already been resumed. However, cases of contagion have already begun to appear in the school community of a private school in Carcavelos.
St. Julian’s College sent the students home after four positive cases of Covid-19 were confirmed.
Although the Ministry of Education intends to maintain teaching in the classroom, Graça Freitas recalled that, in the case of private institutions, there are “some freedoms”, such as the possibility of continuing distance education in some classes and not privileging teaching in Classroom.
“This is a decision of this private institution.”
“There are degrees of freedom here that can be taken as long as they do not endanger public health,” said the general director of Health, Graça Freitas. In this case, the school has taken a preventive measure ”and has not put public health at risk.
The counties of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, Guimarães and Vila Nova de Gaia are currently the most critical areas in relation to the number of cases with Covid-19, reported the General Directorate of Health.
“In relation to critical areas, most of the municipalities are still in the Lisbon region and the Tagus Valley, and Guimarães and Vila Nova de Gaia are also currently the municipalities with the highest incidence per 100,000 inhabitants “said the director general of Health.
Graça Freitas affirmed that the incidence rate of Covid-19 in these municipalities is “higher than that of the rest of the country.”
It is recalled that in the last 24 hours the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region, where there is the highest number of infections in the country, added 338 new cases and the North region another 178 cases.
In the Central region there were 51 more cases, in Alentejo 27 more cases and in the Algarve another 10 cases.
In the Autonomous Region of the Azores a new case was registered in the last 24 hours, and in Madeira a record of eight new cases was registered.
It is “notorious” that in recent days the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing in Portugal, but the General Directorate of Health considers it “very difficult” to know if Portugal is currently facing a second wave of the epidemic.
In Portugal “in the interval between the first months and now we have never had a level without practically no cases”Graça Freitas began by explaining to journalists. “We have always had a situation with cases every day and every week.”
It is “very difficult” to answer whether or not Portugal is facing a second wave of covid-19, as it is the first time the virus has been treated.
“We don’t have a history of how it behaves over time. What we do know is that on the epidemic curve we are showing an increase that is noticeable and is expected to continue.”
“Whether or not it constitutes a second wave only in a few days, in a few weeks, we will see if this trend continues and will continue”, highlighted the Director General of Health.
Graça Freitas also added that as “the history of the virus becomes known, it is easier to know” if Portugal is “vacant or simply a more complicated technical issue.”
The Shrine of Fatima did not expect crowds
This weekend there were many Portuguese who went to Fatima and were next to the Sanctuary. However, the institution did not expect crowds of people and tried to block access to the Sanctuary. António Lacerda Sales affirmed, at a press conference, that after this episode, those responsible for the Sanctuary of Fátima will meet with the Ministry of Health “as soon as possible.”
“A request for a meeting from the institution has already arrived at the office, clearly revealing the growing concern and we will certainly meet as soon as possible.“Lacerda Sales said.
The Secretary of State recalled that the Catholic Church had, in the recent past, “Exemplary behavior and constant and permanent dialogue with the health authorities”.
I am convinced that what happened yesterday was that the institution surely would not be waiting, because it was not usual in other years, to have so many people and probably when it realized the number of people who blocked the entrances. The institution itself has come to recognize this fact “, stressed.
The Secretary of State also said that it is important that on October 13, when another pilgrimage takes place, the institution is “duly prevented and prepared”, having to schedule this date “in order to guarantee the safety of the community and respect the General Directorate of Health”.
