Algarve Situation Report, Saturday 20^th February 2021.
Covid-19: Algarve with less than a hundred admissions
The District Civil Protection Commission of Faros reported on the epidemiological situation in the Algarve with 1,441 active cases of Covid-19.
According to data from the regional health delegate of the Algarve, 19,242 infected were registered until yesterday, 54 more in the last 24 hours and 17,485 recovered (cumulative).
There are 1,342 patients recovering at home, plus 99 hospitalized, 18 in the Intensive Care Units and 12 ventilated. The same source said that since the beginning of the pandemic, 315 deaths have been registered in the region.
At the moment 1,444 people are under active surveillance.
Compared to last week’s bulletin, 958 fewer active cases and 456 new cases are confirmed. Another 1,351 people are recovered.
There are less 86 people hospitalised, 12 less patients in intensive care, maintaining the number of ventilated patients (12). There are fewer than 1,070 people under active surveillance.
According to the same source, the Algarve firefighters’ decontamination brigade carried out, in the last week, 2 decontamination actions, namely, at the MAPS Association – Movement to Support the Problem of AIDS in Faro, and at the Lar da Santa Casa da Misericórdia from Monchique.

Vila Real de Santo António PS says city council executive does not mass-test the population for lack of money
The Municipality of the Socialist Party of Vila Real de Stº António, says in a statement, that the mayor did not accept the proposal to test the population en masse, “because the municipality is plunged into debt, bankrupt and pledged for the next decades, a result of the executive PSD’s wasteful and ruinous management”.
Socialists criticize that the situation does not allow helping families and honouring urgent commitments, “the council is unable to invest in the health and well-being of its residents, in companies, schools and tourism, which remains stagnant”.
In the same communiqué, the PS regrets that the executive does not have the money to join a massive test of the population, as is happening in Castro Marim and in many municipalities at national level. He stresses that a large percentage of the active population of that municipality (Castro Marim) works in VRSA, “sharing the same territorial space, which can seriously jeopardize the effectiveness of the massive testing process they are undertaking”.
In a letter addressed to the mayor of the municipality, the party speaks of a “responsible and considered proposal, defended by specialists and those responsible for health at national level and that can be materialized in complete harmony with all health authorities at local and regional level”.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/ps-de-vila-real-de-santo-antonio-diz-que-executivo-camarario-nao-faz-testagem-em-massa-a-populacao-por-falta-de-dinheiro-/36867-82

Most infractions in the first month of the new motorhome law occurred in the Algarve
The National Republican Guard (GNR) detected 60 violations under the scope of environmental legislation, namely, by caravanning and occasional camping outside the indicated places, in the first month of the entry into force of the new legislation, the authority revealed to Lusa.
Between January 9th and February 9th, GNR imposed fines in the global amount of 3,540 euros, with the vast majority of violations detected in Faro (55), three in Odemira (district of Beja) and two in Moita (district of Setúbal).
The targets were from several countries, namely Luxembourg, Germany, France, England, Poland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland and also Portugal, according to the GNR.
“With the recent legislative change, the GNR is carrying out awareness and inspection actions in a progressive way, through an adaptation to the new regulations, in conjunction with the local authorities”, pointed out the entity.

Lagos Local Housing Strategy for 399 households
The Lagos City Council approved the Local Housing Strategy, an instrument legally required for the purposes of applying for state financial support, provided for in the New Generation of Housing Policies under the 1st Law Program.
This program aims to ensure access to adequate housing for people living in precarious, unsanitary and insecure conditions, overcrowding or inadequacy, and who do not have the financial capacity to access an adequate housing solution.
The document presents the updated diagnosis of the housing needs of the municipality and the proposed housing solutions, which represent an investment of approximately 19.2 million euros, of which 18 million euros refer to solutions to be implemented by the municipality and 1.2 million euros intended for direct beneficiaries, that is, families with their own permanent housing but without economic conditions to carry out the necessary rehabilitation works.
Based on the housing requests registered in the City Council, the homeless population identified by the Social Network of Lagos and the survey of municipal housing in need of repairs, the diagnosis revealed that there was a universe of 399 households (corresponding to 851 people) living in unworthy conditions and, as such, eligible for support under the 1st Law Program.
The most significant needs are related to precarious situations related to homeless people, victims of domestic violence, families with eviction orders, lawsuits and situations of sharing or transferring housing with / from family and friends. 198 aggregates are in this condition.