Algarve Situation Report Saturday 13th February 2021
Covid-19: Reduction in the number of cases and vaccination leave entities optimistic in the Algarve
Today, health organisations were optimistic about the evolution of Covid-19 in the Algarve, due to the reduction in the number of new cases and hospitalisations and the beginning of vaccination.
At the fortnightly press conference of the Civil Protection District, in Loulé, in the district of Faro, the regional health delegate stated that the region is going through a “good time” with a “drop in the number of cases”.
Ana Cristina Guerreiro also revealed that, in the last 24 hours, there are “106 new cases” and “7 deaths” in the Algarve.
There are “185 inpatients in the region, 30 in intensive care units (ICU)”, of which 12 are ventilated, said the official.
Ana Cristina Guerreiro said that, in the Algarve, the peak of cases occurred on “January 26th”, classifying that as the “worst day” of this third wave.
The regional health delegate also indicated the 4th of February as the worst for hospitals, since, “since that time the pressure has been eased, albeit slowly”.
The official was also concerned about the situation in nursing homes, where outbreaks are still registered, with currently “561 cases in the Algarve, mainly in residents, but also in some employees”.
For the delegate, the existence of these cases is due “essentially to the fact that the disease circulates in the community”.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/files/resizes/noticias/730X407/img_602689064ef3c.jpg

Outbreaks at 16 care homes in the Algarve
There are outbreaks in 16 homes in the Algarve, which are associated with a total of 561 cases of Covid-19, revealed this Friday Ana Cristina Guerreiro, Regional Health Delegate, at the press conference to assess the epidemiological situation in the Algarve.
Many of these outbreaks have been going on for several weeks and there are even places where there are no active cases among users, such as the home of the Santa Maria Parish Center in Tavira, as well as the Semear Afetos Day Center, where all those affected have already been discharged.
Ana Cristina Guerreiro also said that of the 280 deaths by Covid-19 that have already occurred in the region, since the beginning of the pandemic, “82 were in homes”.
According to data from the Regional Health Authority, the county with the most outbreaks in homes is Faro, where there are cases in five institutions.
There are 57 cases associated with Cantinho do Avô, while 47 with the Residential Structures for the Elderly (ERPI) of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Faro.
Still in the Algarve capital, there are active outbreaks in the Parish Centre of Santa Bárbara de Nexe (16 cases, in accumulated total), in the Semear Afetos Day Center (7 cases, all of them already discharged) and in the ERPI Torre de Natal (4) .
The municipalities of Albufeira and Loulé each have outbreaks in three homes.
In Albufeira, the outbreak of the Roseiral home (69 cases), the Casa de Repouso da Senhora da Guia (39) and the Nossa Senhora da Visitação home in Guia (19) are still active.
Loulé has outbreaks in the home of Ribeira, in Tôr (61), in the ERPI of the Social and Cultural Association of Almancil (27), Home of the SCM of Loulé (20).
The list also includes the homes of SCM in Monchique (47 cases), in the residential structure for people with disabilities of ACASO, in Olhão (14 cases), in the home Rainha dona Leonor, in Lagos (41), in the home of SCM in Armação de Pêra, in Silves (19) and in the Santa Maria home, in Tavira (74).
The 561 cases mentioned by the regional health delegate are “essentially of residents, but also include those of employees”.
https://www.sulinformacao.pt/2021/02/ha-surtos-de-covid-19-em-16-lares-do-algarve/

Covid-19: Câmara de Tavira allocates 450 thousand euros to support companies
The Câmara de Tavira announced today that it will allocate 450 thousand euros to a Fund to Support Entrepreneurs to help the sustainability of companies with revenues up to 350 thousand euros affected by the crisis caused by the pandemic of Covid-19.
“As of February 15th, the period for submitting applications to the Tavira Entrepreneurs Support Fund (FAET) is open, with the available amount of 450 thousand euros. This action is promoted by the Association for the Integrated Development of Baixa de Tavira with the support of the Municipality and is aimed at companies with revenues of up to 350 thousand euros”, the municipality announced in a statement.
Applications are open until June 30th or until “the estimated budget is used up” and the measure aims to “revitalise the county’s business fabric, mitigate the harmful effects of the serious economic crisis, keep companies in business and ensure maintenance jobs”, justified the Faro District Council.
The municipality stated that companies that started operations before 2019 must have “essential conditions” to access the fund “a drop in revenue, of at least 25%, in the year 2020, compared to the same period”.
For companies with activity started in 2019, “a decrease in the average monthly billing, reported to the Customs Tax Authority (AT) in the e-Invoice system” will be recorded.
In this case, the drop “should be at least 25%, in the period between March and December 2020, compared to the monthly average between the month of beginning of activity and the month of February last year”, explained the municipality.
For this accounting, “only the full calendar months will be considered”, stressed the same source.

Algarve
Situation Report Wednesday 10th February 2021
Covid-19: University of Algarve studies the use of saliva in the detection of SARS-Cov-2
The is studying the use of saliva in the collection of samples to detect the new coronavirus; a less invasive method compared to the classic test against the mucosa of the nose, one Portuguese told Lusa investigator.
According to Clévio Nóbrega, from the UAlg Biomedicine Research Center (CBMR), the objective is to try to “validate other methods” for the collection of samples, especially for “children and people with some pathologies”, since the current PCR method is “Very invasive”.
Speaking to Lusa, the official said that the investigation sought to compare the efficacy of saliva collection with nasopharyngeal and subsequent analysis by PCR, a process based on molecular biology and which allows an increase in the amount of genetic material to detect the new coronavirus (SARS- Cov-2).
In collaboration with the Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve (CHUA), the researchers obtained samples from hospitalised patients through three types of collection: the “classic” nasopharyngeal (with the collection of secretions from the nose), through the saliva and oropharynx, obtained at the bottom throat.
According to Clévio Nóbrega, “the same results” were obtained, and it was possible to detect by saliva “the same level” as “classical” sampling, which means that, in some cases, “this type of collection”.
The use of this method is still “not possible”, because “authorisation is required” from the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge Instituto Ricardo Jorge (INSA), where the data were sent.
Clévio Nóbrega recognizes, however, that it is understandable that the focus is on “continuing mass testing and not so much on optimisation” of collection methods.
Meanwhile, the researchers will continue to carry out “additional tests” to confirm that the results are “in fact reliable”, something that has been “confirmed”, he stressed.

Covid-19: Vila Real de Santo António firefighters hope to return to normal next week
The Vila Real de Santo António firefighters, affected by an outbreak of Covid-19 detected on Saturday, hope to restore the corporation to normal operations “starting next week”, the commander told Lusa.
Nuno Pereira said that the initial cases reported on Sunday accounted for 12 infected elements of the corporation and that 38 were in isolation, but clarified that “the cases that are in isolation include and incorporate the positive cases”, so the total number of affected elements is 38 and not 50.
“Of these [12 infected], 10 were wage earners and two were volunteers, who had no direct connection with them, but as they are from the firefighters they are also quantified,” he added, correcting the data initially put forward by the Humanitarian Association on Sunday.
The commander of the Voluntary Firefighters of Vila Real de Santo António said that, “little by little, people are being tested and released” and “at this moment a team is already working and a reinforcement of voluntary personnel to ensure the first intervention 24 hours a day”.
“We hope that the situation will change quickly, tomorrow another team will be tested, which if they continue to test negative they will recover and allow a greater reinforcement of the fire brigade’s readiness”, he stressed.
Nuno Pereira guaranteed that the fire department of Vila Real de Santo António, which also provides assistance in the neighbouring municipality of Castro Marim, “never failed to respond to the first intervention”.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/covid-19-bombeiros-de-vila-real-de-santo-antonio-esperam-voltar-a-normalidade-na-proxima-semana/36699-83

Castro Marim tests the entire population at Covid-19
Castro Marim will test the entire population of the county for Covid-19 as of Saturday, the 13th, to see if it ends “once and for all” with the strong spread of the disease in the county.
The tests will be made available free of charge to all citizens, being only necessary to make an appointment, through the email Biblioteca@cm-castromarim.pt or by contacting 281 510 747 or 281 510 778 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm) and 961 743 222 (9:00 am) -20h00).
The exceptions are children up to 10 years old or people already immunized, because they had the vaccine or because they had the disease.
In order to make this mass testing operation possible, the Castro Marim Chamber bought “4 thousand rapid tests” and counts on the help of about two dozen health professionals “who volunteered to collect and do all the work, without charge for anything,” Francisco Amaral, Mayor of Castro Marim, revealed.
“This Saturday and Sunday we will have five collection points operating at the Pavilhão Municipal de Castro Marim, two for people who come by car and three for those who come on foot. We are waiting for a great response”, revealed the mayor, who is also a doctor.
The collection is done with a swab, through the nose, and “the test result is quite fast”.
The following weekend, on the 20th and 21st, the tests will be taken to the population that lives the most isolated, “namely in the parishes of Azinhal and Odeleite”, through the Mobile Health Unit.
https://www.sulinformacao.pt/2021/02/castro-marim-testa-toda-a-populacao-a-covid-19/

Loulé celebrates Carnival but with online initiatives
The Municipality of Loulé, the organizing body of Carnival, does not want to miss this moment and will promote some initiatives alluding to this tradition strongly rooted in the local community.
“We live in difficult times, with a pandemic affecting millions of families around the world, and it would be impossible to organize a Carnival as we know it, with the gathering of the public and the enthusiastic interaction between the revellers. But we are aware of the importance of this party for the Louletanos and we could not fail to point out and bring a little of the spirit of Loulé Carnival to all who are confined”, underlined Vítor Aleixo, president of the municipality.
In a press release, the municipality added that the main initiatives will take place online, “allowing everyone to follow this program in the safety and comfort of their homes, without jeopardizing compliance with the rules implemented in this state of emergency in which the country is experiencing”.
On the 14th, 15th and 16th of February, a virtual exhibition with images from old editions of the Corsican, where the themes that have served as satire to the parade, artistic quality will be published on the municipality’s social networks, namely Facebook and YouTube. applied in the execution of floats or the beauty of the facts and props of the extras that, for over 100 years, have given colour and joy to Avenida José da Costa Mealha.
On February 15th, starting at 9:30 pm, it will be possible to attend an Online Carnival Ball. The traditional Gala Ball at Nera’s “Palácio” is replaced this year by a ball broadcast in streaming, through the Facebook of the Municipality of Loulé. From the Solar da Música Nova Auditorium, the Fora d´Horas Orchestra takes to the home of the Louletan families, but also to all parts of the globe, known themes of Carnival, above all a lot of samba, which will certainly be an invitation to a dancing feet in the living room or any other improvised space in the rooms.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/loule-assinala-carnaval-mas-com-iniciativas-online/36701-1