Press announcement following Council of Ministers meeting 15th July 2021
The Minister of State and the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, revealed this Thursday, July 15, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers, that the incidence at 14 days per hundred thousand inhabitants is 346.5 in mainland Portugal and the transmissibility index – R(t) – is now at 1.15.
Mariana Vieira da Silva highlighted that “the number of cases this week is higher than the previous week, but the value of the rate of transmission – R(t) – is lower”. “Last week we had grown by over 50 per cent compared to the previous week and this week we grew by 28 per cent compared to last week,” she said.
“As long as we have an R(t) greater than 1 we will always increase the number of cases, but the R(t) is lower today than last week,” she added.
“We still don’t know when we can reach” the peak of contagions, she said. However, the minister stressed that “the pace of growth of the pandemic is, at the moment, lower than it has ever been”. “Whether that indicates that we are approaching that peak contagions we will see in the coming days,” she added.
The minister stressed that hospital admissions and cases in intensive care are growing, but that “the situation is under control from the point of view of the National Health Service”.
The minister revealed that, at this moment, there are more than 3,200,000 Portuguese who have been fully vaccinated for more than 15 days. “This advance of vaccination is an extremely important instrument for reducing the pandemic,” she said.
The minister also revealed that the Government has approved a decree that authorises the sale of self-tests for covid-19 in supermarkets.
When questioned about an eventual lifting of the restrictions concerning bars and nightclubs, Mariana Vieira da Silva stressed that “we are not yet at a stage where this is possible”.
There are currently 30 municipalities on alert in mainland Portugal. They are:
- Águeda
- Alcoutim
- Aljustrel
- Amarante
- Anadia
- Cadaval
- Caldas da Rainha
- Castelo de Paiva
- Estarreja
- Fafe
- Felgueiras
- Guarda
- Marco de Canaveses
- Marinha Grande
- Mogadouro
- Montemor-o-Velho
- Murtosa
- Ourém
- Ovar
- Paços de Ferreira
- Penafiel
- Santa Maria da Feira
- São João da Madeira
- Serpa
- Valpaços
- Viana do Castelo
- Vila do Conde
- Vila Real
- Vila Viçosa
- Vizela
The number of municipalities at high risk of covid-19 transmission has increased to 43 (last week there were 27). They are:
- Alcobaça
- Alenquer
- Arouca
- Arraiolos
- Azambuja
- Barcelos
- Batalha
- Bombarral
- Braga
- Cantanhede
- Cartaxo
- Castro Marim
- Chaves
- Coimbra
- Constância
- Espinho
- Figueira da Foz
- Gondomar
- Guimarães
- Leiria
- Lousada
- Maia
- Monchique
- Montemor-o-Novo
- Óbidos
- Paredes
- Paredes de Coura
- Pedrógão Grande
- Porto de Mós
- Póvoa do Varzim
- Rio Maior
- Salvaterra de Magos
- Santarém
- Santiago do Cacém
- Tavira
- Torres Vedras
- Trancoso
- Trofa
- Valongo
- Viana do Alentejo
- Vila do Bispo
- Vila Nova de Famalicão
- Vila Real de Sto António
In these municipalities these restrictions apply:
- Limitation of circulation on public roads between 23h and 5h;
- Teleworking compulsory when duties allow;
- Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops until 22h30 (inside, with a maximum of 6 people per group; outside, 10 people per group);
- Cultural shows with the same opening hours as restaurants;
- – Retail trade until 21h.
The municipalities at very high risk are now 47:
- Albergaria-a-Velha
- Albufeira
- Alcochete
- Almada
- Amadora
- Arruda dos Vinhos
- Aveiro
- Avis
- Barreiro
- Benavente
- Cascais
- Elvas
- Faro
- Ílhavo
- Lagoa
- Lagos
- Lisboa
- Loulé
- Loures
- Lourinhã
- Mafra
- Matosinhos
- Mira
- Moita
- Montijo
- Nazaré
- Odivelas
- Oeiras
- Olhão
- Oliveira do Bairro
- Palmela
- Peniche
- Portimão
- Porto
- Santo Tirso
- São Brás de Alportel
- Seixal
- Sesimbra
- Setúbal
- Silves
- Sines
- Sintra
- Sobral de Monte Agraço
- Vagos
- Vila Franca de Xira
- Vila Nova de Gaia
- Viseu
In these municipalities these restrictions apply:
- Limitation of circulation on public roads between 23h and 5h;
- Teleworking compulsory when duties allow;
- Restaurants, cafés and pastry shops until 22h30 (inside, with a maximum of 4 people per group; outside, 6 people per group)
- Cultural shows until 22h30;
- Weddings and christenings with 25% of the capacity;
- Gymnasiums without group classes;
- Sporting activities of low and medium risk;
- Retail trade during the week: until 21h. Weekend and holidays: food retail until 19h and non-food retail until 15h30.