LISBON, Portugal (AP) – Portugal’s new daily COVID-19 cases jumped to more than 14,600 to set a new national record on Wednesday as the country surpasses one of the world’s worst pandemic rises.
Health authorities officially reported 14,647 new infections, about 3,600 more than the previous daily record set four days ago.
The increase shows no sign of relaxation, as the government and health experts predict it will peak next week.
The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized and in intensive care also increased to new record highs, with 5,493 and 681, respectively.
“The gravity of the situation is clear to everyone,” Health Minister Marta Temido told reporters.
The public and private health and military sectors are collaborating to meet needs, he said, but added that “resources are finite.”
The pandemic has gained momentum in Portugal since Christmas, when restrictions on rallies and movements for four days were eased.
Portugal has the world’s highest seven-day average rate of new cases per 100,000 population and the second lowest death rate, according to data collected Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University.
Overall, the country of 10.3 million people has 581,605 confirmed cases and 9,465 confirmed deaths.
In another concern for Portuguese authorities, a study by the country’s leading disease control agency said a new variant of the virus first identified in the south-east of England could account for 60% of new cases. of COVID-19 in Portugal within two weeks.
The study by the National Institute of Health of Dr. Ricardo Jorge, based on data collected since Dec. 1, was released Tuesday.
The increase pushes the public health system, especially hospitals, to the limit of its capacity, and the government strives to keep pace.
Deputy Secretary of State for Health António Lacerda Sales said the system is in full swing.
“We are doing everything in our power to increase the capacity of the system,” he told reporters.
A 58-bed field hospital was due to open later Wednesday in the capital, on the campus of the University of Lisbon.
To further ease the pressure on hospitals, authorities are opening more temporary medical facilities in places outside the healthcare sector.
The government said Wednesday’s facilities in places like hotels, university residences and church premises will soon have 2,300 beds where patients can be kept under observation.
Meanwhile, authorities launched a rapid COVID-19 testing program in schools in the hardest-hit areas amid a sharp rise in cases.
Portugal is closed, but the government is reluctant to close schools. He says if schools close there are children who don’t get adequate food, who don’t have a computer, don’t have internet access and who don’t have their own room at home and don’t get help to study.
However, some teachers are dissatisfied with the policy and are pushing for the national school to be closed.
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