Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 8^th September 2021

Introduction

Good morning – Yesterday was a very unusual day, almost unique in terms of rural fires, certainly for September, in that at 20.00 hrs there were NO fires, either Active, In resolution or concluded. This is so unusual in Portugal during the Critical Fire Period, I contacted the ANEPC in Lisbon and they confirmed that this was indeed the case.

This illustrates very clearly the effect of rain that fell in the north the night before and high humidity on rural fires. On a normal day the number deployed at that time would be over 300, so very good news.

As you may have noticed the rural risk chart over the last day or so is showing an increasing number of municipalities at lower risk, in some areas at “Low” or “Moderate” risk. This does not mean, however, that we can go out and burn debris or scrubland (extensive burning). We are still in the Critical Fire Period, which means that any burning must be AUTHORISED beforehand. Failing to do this means that people could be put at risk through uncontrolled burns as well as those responsible who are breaking the law, punishable by hefty fines.

Turning from fire to floods – Over the last few days we have seen very changeable weather conditions, the south remaining mostly dry, but with rain and some thunderstorms in the north. The reason for the change is mainly due to an area of low pressure to the west of Portugal moving north eastwards. Such weather patterns are not unusual for this time of the year.

Although rare, occasionally Tropical Cyclones can bring strong winds and heavy rain to Western Europe during the tropical storm period, which is usually from September to November. These are luckily few and far between. Cyclone Vince from 8-11 October 2005 was the first known tropical cyclone to reach the Iberian Peninsula.   Hurricane Leslie (2018) and Subtropical Storm Alpha (2020) are two examples of recent tropical-like cyclones that impacted Portugal.

Leslie made landfall in the central region of Portugal, resulting in extensive material damage in Figueira da Foz, and placed thirteen districts under red warning due to strong winds and waves. It was considered the biggest storm to hit Portugal since 1842

Fortunately in Portugal we have advanced meteorological systems in place closely integrated into European systems, which enables forecasts and information to be shared quickly. In the case of cyclones there is usually plenty of warning so everyone should be aware of these before being affected. It is important therefore to monitor the weather warnings and forecasts which may include advice to the public on measures to be taken in order to mitigate the risk to life and property.

Turning to Covid-19. Good news yesterday was that in Portugal, 8,759,684 people have already received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19, which corresponds to 85% of the population. Of these, 7,941,747 have already had the complete vaccination schedule, which corresponds to 78% of the resident population, according to the vaccination report released yesterday. There is scheduled to be a Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday, so we await any changes in measures.

Our volunteers continue to be very busy particularly in responses to your questions on Facebook. Although we try to provide a definitive answer there are times, where there is simply no answer, other than we “do not know”. In such cases we try and point you in the best direction to obtain your answer based on our experience. Please understand that our Admins and Moderators are volunteers and this does involve a great deal of our time.

I am therefore pleased to welcome on board Susan Wright who lives in the north of the country who has recently joined our team and has been posting the weekly and overseas situation reports on our website, and with effect from yesterday will be joining our Admins/Moderators on Facebook. This will help with the workload and we thank you Susan for giving up your time.

Have a Safe Day

Covid-19

DGS COVID-19 SITUATION REPORT TUESDAY 7^th SEPTEMBER

Confirmed Cases: 1.048.941 (+ 1231 / + 0.12 %)

Number of admitted: 650 (-32 /-4.69 %)

Number of ICU admitted: 135 (-5 /-3.57 %)

Deaths: 17,816 (+ 6 / + 0.03 %)

Recovered: 991.215 (+ 3280 / + 0.33 %)

Active cases: 39,910 (-2,055 / -4.8 %)

The number in hospital is the lowest figure in almost two months, since on July 10th there were 632 hospitalized. There are also five fewer patients in Intensive Care Units (total: 135).

The number of deaths reported today (six) is the lowest in the last month and a half, since on July 20 there were only four. Since then, it is the fourth time that there have been six deaths in 24 hours.

The number of reported cases increased compared to the previous day but remains well below the average of the last seven days (1573.4 daily infections), as well as the last 30 days (2066). This suggests that the number of cases is progressively declining.

Recoveries have increased considerably in the last 24 hours. The number of people recovered today (3280) is almost triple the number recorded this Monday (1109), and it is also the highest number in the last week.

The Active cases showed a large decrease for one day. 

Health

Vaccination against covid-19 was suspended this Tuesday at the Health Centre of Gouveia.

At issue is an alleged failure in the refrigeration chain, which will have compromised the standards and procedures in force.

In the coming days, users vaccinated on 2, 3 and 4 September will be contacted. The vaccination commission considers that the incident will have no effect on the health of users.

Appointments for this unit will be forwarded to others in the region. 

DGS experts will be heard in parliament on Wednesday on masks

The Epidemiology Group of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) will be heard in parliament on Wednesday about the mandatory use of masks, following a request by the PSD approved this Tuesday, a parliamentary source told Lusa.

According to information on the website of the Assembly of the Republic, the hearing of experts from the DGS is scheduled for 9:00 am on Wednesday.

The request by the PSD parliamentary group for an urgent hearing of experts from the DGS, presented on August 21, was approved this Tuesday by the Eventual Committee for monitoring the implementation of the response measures to the COVID-19 disease pandemic and the process economic and social recovery.

In the application, the PSD parliamentary group maintains that the decision on the maintenance or end of the use of masks “is not exclusively a political one, as it can have consequences for public health, so it must be taken with scientific support”.

In this regard, he asked for the hearing of experts from the DGS who have participated in Infarmed meetings, “who have contributed to scientifically support the Government’s political decision-making”.

The PSD’s request came a day after the Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, said that the end of the mandatory use of masks in public spaces will be decided in the Assembly of the Republic. 

Covid-19. Nearly eight thousand nurses were infected during the pandemic, revealed the Order

Almost eight thousand nurses have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic in Portugal, which represents about 10% of professionals registered with the Order, the organization said.

According to the Ordem dos Enfermeiros (OE), from March 2020 until July this year, there were “7,928 cases of infection of these health professionals”, equivalent to “about 10% of registered nurses in the OE”.

“It is clear why nurses need risk subsidy, something they still don’t have,” said President Ana Rita Cavaco, quoted in a statement. According to the same source, in March the OE “asked the Ministry of Health for the number of nurses infected with covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic”, but “only now” received this information from the General Directorate of Health.

According to Ministry data, the National Health Service has about 49,000 nurses.

Covid-19: Task force mandate for testing renewed for six months

The mandate of the task force to operationalize the testing was renewed for another six months to ensure increased capacity within the scope of the decontamination process, according to an order published today in Diário da República.

“In the context of the current epidemiological situation, caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, and within the scope of the de-confinement process currently underway, with a reduction in social distancing measures, it is considered crucial to continue to ensure an increase in the testing capacity and coverage, together with the reinforcement of the tracing of contacts throughout the country”, says the dispatch, which takes effect since 1 September.

In this sense, and taking into account that the mandate of the ‘task force’ for the promotion of the “Plan for the Operationalization of the Testing Strategy in Portugal” is about to end, it is fundamental” that its mandate can be renewed in order to be able to “continue to develop its activity”, underlines the order.

The ‘task force’ was created through an order dated March 18 and is coordinated by the president of the National Health Institute Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Fernando de Almeida, and is composed of elements from the Ministry of Health, INSA, and General Directorate of Health, Shared Services of the Ministry of Health, National Authority for Medicines Health Products (Infarmed) and Regional Health Administrations.

According to data from health authorities, 17,274,708 PCR tests and rapid antigen tests (TRAG) have already been carried out in Portugal.

Infarmed orders the removal of masks with improper CE marking from the market

Infarmed ordered to suspend marketing and withdraw from the national market a face protection mask from the manufacturer BesilChem LLP because it has not been proven to comply with all European legal requirements, announced the medicine’s authority.

In a statement, Infarmed says that the “3Ply Type II Face Mask”, model M3PII, from the manufacturer BesilChem LLP, unduly bears the CE marking as there is no evidence of compliance with all applicable legal requirements at European level, including the fact that the technical documentation is incomplete.

Therefore, the National Authority of Medicines and Health Products ordered to suspend the marketing and withdraw this mask from the national market and adds that entities that have units of this medical device “should not use them and must contact the representative”.

Other news

Portugal received 23 children and young people from Greek refugee camps

This Tuesday, Portugal received 23 foreign children and young people who were in refugee camps in Greece, having been welcomed in the cities of Braga, Fundão and Lisbon, announced the Government.

The children and young people, unaccompanied, were welcomed in Portugal under the Voluntary Relocation Program and are from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Pakistan and Sudan, says a joint statement from the cabinets of the ministers of State and of Sudan. Presidency, of Internal and Labour Administration, Solidarity and Social Security.

With the arrival of this group, Portugal has so far welcomed 143 unaccompanied children and young people from refugee camps in Greece.

The note recalls that, in March 2020, the Greek Government and the European Commission launched the appeal for “the relocation of about 5500 children and young people who were in Greece “.