The Covid-19 pandemic registers a "high intensity" in Portugal, with health authorities warning yesterday, 27 August, of a "growing trend" of cases of infection in the young and elderly in the coming weeks.
«The analysis of the different indicators reveals an epidemic activity of SARS-CoV-2 infection of high intensity, with a stable trend at the national level, but with a probable upward trend in the Center region, in the age groups from 10 to 29 years and over 65 years old», indicates the report of the “red lines” of the pandemic of the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) and the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
According to the document, if the current picture of the pandemic in the country is maintained, the “epidemic activity in the senior population and the pressure on health services could increase in the coming weeks”.
Data released today indicate that the number of infections in the last 14 days was 315 cases per 100 inhabitants, with a stable trend nationwide.
In the group of people aged 65 and over, the number of new cases was 124 cases, with a stable and increasing trend nationwide, but still below the defined threshold of 240 infections per 100 people.
With regard to the National Health Service, the report states that on Wednesday 150 people were hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) in mainland Portugal, which corresponds to 59% of the defined critical value of 255 beds occupied, when in the the week before it was at 55%.
Given the indicators of the pandemic, the DGS and the INSA admit that the pressure on health services, which presents a steady to growing trend, could "increase in the coming weeks".
The largest number of Covid-19 patients admitted to the ICU corresponds to the age group from 60 to 79 years, with 66 people.
The proportion of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 was 4,4% – in the previous week it had been 4,0% – above the defined threshold of 4,0%, the report adds, which states that there was a decrease in the number of tests, with 369.637 tests carried out in the last seven days, 32.721 fewer than in the previous week.
“In the last seven days, at least 95% of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were isolated within 24 hours of notification and, in the same period, all contacts in 81% were screened and isolated when necessary. cases”, indicate the health authorities.
The report also mentions that the specific mortality by Covid-19 was situated at 15,4 deaths in 14 days per one million inhabitants, which corresponds to a decrease of 15% compared to the previous week.
“This figure is above the threshold of 10 deaths in 14 days per one million inhabitants set by the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC). This indicator shows a stable trend and is likely to remain so or start to decline if the incidence in the population remains stable and decreasing," stress the "red lines" of the pandemic.
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