Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 20^th April 2022

Introduction

With increasing numbers of tourists here at present and some changing weather conditions, our focus this week is on civil protection and public safety.

The first is a reminder of rip currents. Tragically a number of people drown each year due to these, either because swimmers do not recognize these before entering the water or do not know what to do upon encountering a rip current. We have prepared information on this subject so that people are aware and this is posted from time to time on Facebook. Details can be found on our website here; https://www.safecommunitiesportugal.com/find-information/for-tourists/water-and-beach-safety/

Related to this is the fact that at present there are no lifeguards on beaches. The bathing season starts on 1^st June and with this lifeguards are present, with some like Cascais being in place a week or so earlier. Recently the Association of Lifeguards has raised concern over this, especially at a time when there are many tourists. A few days ago a swimmer who got into difficulties in the water was assisted by bathers as no lifeguards were present. We at Safe Communities, whilst understanding that funding may be an issue, are also concerned about this and am raising with the tourism authorities.

The other reminder concerning beach safety is unstable cliffs in some places, along some our beautiful beaches. Where there are dangers, these are clearly marked signs both at the top of cliffs as well as at the base with the beach itself. We urge people to respect the signs and not to climb over barriers in order to take that perfect selfie! It may be your last!

Over the last few days the number of rural fires have increased slightly. Yesterday there were several municipalities at very high risk and more today. We advise people to monitor the daily risk in your municipality particularly if you are intending to burn debris. The rules concerning the burning of debris are published each day on our Facebook page, in particular the need to register such burns when the fire risk is Low to High and obtain prior authorisation if Very High or above. One of the reasons for the increase in fires is because the basic rules and safety measures have not been followed, in particular not to burn debris in windy conditions. You will be surprised how far burning embers and leaves can travel when the wind is high, leading to multiple ignitions.

Turning to a different subject that is Ukraine – a reminder that the formal welcome session for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will speak in the Portuguese parliament by videoconference, will now be tomorrow Thursday at 1700 hrs, rather than 1500 hrs (published earlier) following a request from the Embassy of Ukraine. This is likely to be covered live on television – a note for your diaries.

The last issue I would like to raise is the subject of impoliteness on Facebook. As many of you will be aware most Facebook groups have their own rules which people are asked to agree to before being allowed to be a member of that group. Nothing unusual in that. Such rules or “standards” often include condition such as: “being polite to others” and “being respectful in the type of comments” that are made. We are not a group, but an open page as we wish to allow as many people to benefit from our services as possible. However, we do expect the same standards of behaviour, as from experience over the last years, this is what people expect.

Our team of volunteers work from around 0700 hrs to sometimes after 2300 hrs daily answering the many questions we receive, and ensuring that we publish and promote information in the interests of public safety as well as news which maybe of general interest. We do not get paid for this service, which can be disruptive to our personal daily routines. We would ask people, therefore, to be polite in making comments. Condescending remarks and impoliteness as well as comments attempting to undermine or trivialise important public safety messages, (made by less than a handful of people) have no place on our page and in the interest of the majority, these type of remarks will be deleted. We have far more important things to do that constantly monitor this.

If there is something that you wish to raise with our admins regarding a particular post, simply do so through our inbox and we will promptly deal with. Thank you.

With that please have a Safe day.

Health

Acute hepatitis cases reported in children from four European Union countries

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported today that cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin have been reported in children in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain, the only cases so far in the European Union (EU).

“Following reports of cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin from the UK Health Safety Agency, additional cases have been reported in children in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain,” the ECDC said in a statement released today.

According to the European Health Agency, outside the EU, “nine cases of acute hepatitis were reported in children between 1 and 6 years old in the state of Alabama, in the United States, who also had positive results in the adenovirus test”.

Explaining that investigations are ongoing in all countries that have reported cases, the ECDC points out that the “exact cause of hepatitis in these children remains unknown”.

“The team from the United Kingdom, where the majority of cases have occurred to date, considers that an infectious cause is most likely based on the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the cases under investigation”, he points out.

The European centre is therefore working with other health bodies in these countries, as well as with the World Health Organization and other partners to support ongoing research.

News

Pedrógão Grande: Former minister convinced it was impossible to fight the fires

Leiria, Apr 19, 2022 (Lusa) – Former Minister of Internal Administration Constança Urbano de Sousa said today, at the trial to determine possible criminal responsibilities in the Pedrógão Grande fires, that she was convinced that fighting was impossible, considering that those were “enormous exceptionality”.

“I am convinced that it was impossible to have fought this fire, regardless of the number of means”, said Constança Urbano de Sousa, who resigned on October 18, 2017, following the fires that year (June 2017) at the Judicial Court of Leiria, referring to the Pedrógão Grande fire and the October fires in the Centre region), which together resulted in more than a hundred deaths.

The former minister reiterated that “for that type of fire, the amount of resources was absolutely insufficient”.

Listed by the defence of the commander of the Volunteer Firefighters of Pedrógão Grande, Augusto Arnaut, one of the 11 defendants on trial, the witness began by saying that it was a fire of “enormous exceptionality”.

“I remember that at the time it was enough to look at satellite photographs to realize that the fire in Pedrógão Grande was not a normal fire”, she said.

Confronted, on several occasions, by lawyer Filomena Girão, representative of Augusto Arnaut, about the means available to fight fires, the witness pointed out that “for an event of these dimensions, they were always insufficient”.

On the other hand, the former minister maintained that “when a fire has a normal course, it is possible to anticipate and remove populations”.

“When it has an explosive behaviour, with the character of simultaneity, I think it would be practically impossible, even if there were many more [elements of the security forces]”, she declared.

About a thousand pilgrims on horseback expected on Saturday in Viana do Alentejo

About a thousand pilgrims from various parts of the country and Spain are expected on Saturday in Viana do Alentejo (Évora), at the arrival of the Pilgrimage on Horse, which departs from the Ribatejo village of Moita, on Wednesday.

The mayor of Viana do Alentejo, Luís Miguel Duarte, told the Lusa agency that the organization predicts that the arrival of the pilgrimage to the Alentejo village will involve “about a thousand pilgrims” and close to “500 horses”.

“There are pilgrims who start the pilgrimage at the start”, in the village of Moita, in the district of Setúbal, scheduled for this Wednesday, but then others join the initiative along the way, he said

According to the mayor, the departure of the pilgrimage should have “about 500 pilgrims and around 200 horses”.

After a two-year break, due to the covid-19 pandemic, the 20th Pilgrimage on Horseback between Moita and Viana do Alentejo, which was scheduled for April 2020, takes place this week to fulfil a century-old tradition. .

The pilgrims leave Moita at 09:00 on Wednesday and should arrive in Viana do Alentejo at 17:00 on Saturday, with entertainment in the town centre and ceremonies next to the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora de Aires, until Sunday.

According to the mayor of Viana do Alentejo, pilgrims from “all over the country, from the North to the Algarve, and some from Spain as well” are expected to participate in the initiative.

“It is good to have an initiative of this magnitude again, after two years”, to “provide union between pilgrims and give people more courage in these troubled times”, underlined Luís Miguel Duarte.

On this trip, the participants, on horseback and by cart, cover the approximately 150 kilometres of the Estrada dos Espanhóis.

Privacy, cybercrime and ‘cyberbullying’ among Portuguese concerns on the internet – study

Lisbon, Apr 19, 2022 (Lusa) – Artificial intelligence, privacy and data security on the internet, cybercrime and ‘cyberbullying’ are among the main concerns of Portuguese people on the internet, according to a study released today by the PHC Foundation.

“Regarding the population’s main challenges regarding the theme “Digital Literacy”, 39% of Portuguese fear artificial intelligence and four out of 10 Portuguese feel insecure to share personal information ‘online’”, says the study carried out in partnership with OnStrategy and which had eight thousand valid responses.

“Additionally, 83% of Portuguese are concerned about cybercrime and 81% about ‘cyberbullying'” and “88% are concerned about privacy and data security ‘online'”, it adds.

The study states that around 82% of Portuguese people believe that technology is improving their quality of life. Likewise, around 25% say they “do not have the knowledge to use digital solutions”.

Among the respondents, there was also agreement with the lack of sufficient investment for digital literacy, with 81% agreeing with this statement.

Almost two-thirds (65%) do not consider that the Portuguese State has made “sufficient efforts to promote teaching and digital literacy”, with emphasis on the segment with less schooling (79%).

More than 56% of respondents said they feel socially excluded or discriminated against in their daily lives because they do not know how to use digital media.

As for use, 68% believe they are autonomous in their daily use of technology.

According to the study, women (60%) turn more to friends and family when they need technological support than men (38.5%), with the latter “looking more in ‘online’ tutorials such as Youtube, specialized ‘websites’ and resort more to professional experts”.

In the youth segment, “more than half” look for tutorials on the internet, “revealing a lot of autonomy in this matter”, differing from people over 55, “who depend almost exclusively on the help of family members”.

Programming is one of the parameters with the least knowledge among Portuguese users, with only 28% saying they have some knowledge – and among those surveyed with only basic education the percentage is 0%.

Half of the respondents want to learn to program and 82% want to see programming teaching in secondary school and 83% in higher education.

Tried to get on the plane with 4792 doses of cocaine hidden in the pillow

The PSP detained, at Humberto Delgado Airport, a 23-year-old man who was trying to board a flight with almost 4,800 doses of cocaine hidden in a pillow.

The passenger was detained on Saturday by agents of the Airport Security Division, after the security guard who was screening cabin luggage at Terminal 1, saw a suspicious image on the RX, requiring the bag to be searched.

Suspicions were reinforced when the passenger began to flee, but his interception was quickly possible. And the RX did not lie, because inside a pillow it was possible to seize 4792.15 individual doses of cocaine divided into 85 packages.

Heard in the first judicial interrogation, he was in preventive detention.