Lisbon: Portugalthe health minister predicted on Wednesday omicron The variant will trigger a record number of infections in the coming days as officials reported nearly 9,000 new cases, the highest since early February and up from 5,754 the previous day.
Although the country has one of the world’s highest rates of Covid-19 Vaccination With about 87% of its 10 million population fully vaccinated, daily infections have returned to levels previously seen when Portugal suffered its worst wave of disease in the first two months of the year.
“In the coming days we will reach the highest (all time) record of cases,” Health Minister Marta Temido said in an interview with TVI television.
Portugal reported a record 16,432 cases at the end of January, when public order was on the verge of collapse.
Deaths and hospitalizations are far below levels. There are 909 people with Covid-19 in the hospital compared to a peak of 6,869 patients on February 1.
Official data shows the 14-day infection rate more than doubled in the past month to reach 579 per 100,000 people on Wednesday. almost half new coronavirus The cases in Portugal belong to the Omicron version.
To limit the spread over the holiday season, the government announced new restrictions on Tuesday, ordering nightclubs and bars to close and people home-quarantined for at least two weeks starting on Christmas Day. asked to work.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa has urged people to limit their contacts as much as possible.
Portugal has increased coronavirus testing to reach an average of 133,000 tests per day, but as holiday celebrations approach and demand picks up, some supermarkets are running out of kits and some pharmacies have available slots.
Although the country has one of the world’s highest rates of Covid-19 Vaccination With about 87% of its 10 million population fully vaccinated, daily infections have returned to levels previously seen when Portugal suffered its worst wave of disease in the first two months of the year.
“In the coming days we will reach the highest (all time) record of cases,” Health Minister Marta Temido said in an interview with TVI television.
Portugal reported a record 16,432 cases at the end of January, when public order was on the verge of collapse.
Deaths and hospitalizations are far below levels. There are 909 people with Covid-19 in the hospital compared to a peak of 6,869 patients on February 1.
Official data shows the 14-day infection rate more than doubled in the past month to reach 579 per 100,000 people on Wednesday. almost half new coronavirus The cases in Portugal belong to the Omicron version.
To limit the spread over the holiday season, the government announced new restrictions on Tuesday, ordering nightclubs and bars to close and people home-quarantined for at least two weeks starting on Christmas Day. asked to work.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa has urged people to limit their contacts as much as possible.
Portugal has increased coronavirus testing to reach an average of 133,000 tests per day, but as holiday celebrations approach and demand picks up, some supermarkets are running out of kits and some pharmacies have available slots.
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