Algarve
Algarve Situation Report Saturday 6th February
Covid-19 trends and hospitalisations in the Region
The District Civil Protection Commission of Faro today revealed the epidemiological situation in the Algarve with 3,726 active cases of Covid-19.
According to data from the regional health delegate of the Algarve, 18,059 infected were registered until yesterday, another 193 in the last 24 hours and 14,093 recovered (cumulative).
There are 3,453 patients recovering at home, plus 273 hospitalized, 39 in the Intensive Care Units and 22 ventilated. The same source said that since the beginning of the pandemic, 240 deaths have been recorded in the region.
At the moment 4,873 people are under active surveillance and 337 (cumulative) were discharged.
Compared to last week’s bulletin, 2,286 fewer active cases and 1,645 new cases are confirmed. A further 3,885 people are recovered.
There are 26 more people hospitalized, 5 more patients in intensive care and 5 more ventilated. Under active surveillance there are less than 1,591 people.

Ualg Team” provides lectures for students and teachers in response to the state of emergency
Given the current pandemic situation and the return of distance learning, the University of Algarve, with the objective of continuing to strengthen the relationship between higher education and basic and secondary education, adjusted the “Team UAlg” initiative to the new reality.
In a statement, the institute of higher education informs that it will make available a set of lectures and other actions, free and informal, in an online format, taking into account the needs of students.
According to the publication, the UAlg Team is an initiative of the University of Algarve that, in addition to allowing closer relations, aims to provide students and teachers of basic and secondary schools with in-depth knowledge in diverse scientific areas and raise awareness of the importance of entering higher education.
Mainly held by UAlg professors, the lectures may be integrated into the programs of the disciplines and activities provided by the schools, now in an online format. The themes are defined according to the age groups and the level of training of the recipients.

Covid-19: After the suffocation, Tavira comes out of extreme risk
The municipality of Tavira registered this Thursday, 5 new cases, for 232 accumulated in the last 14 days, per 100 thousand inhabitants, below the 236 that enter the highest level of contagion.
Despite descending to “very high risk”, it is still a news of hope for those in Tavira, after the suffocation that they have been living with a virus that gained strength in the county, due to the British variant. Today also the direction of Lar de Santa Maria in Tavira, announced that the outbreak that killed 13 users is over, with the discharge of the last patient.
In this Thursday’s bulletin, on the epidemiological situation in the county, there are 141 active cases and 285 in prophylactic isolation. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1459 cases have been confirmed, 1294 recovered and 24 deaths.
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/covid19-depois-do-sufoco-tavira-sai-de-risco-extremo-/36628-1

Covid-19: ARS Algarve strengthens psychological support
Anxiety, depression and panic attacks are symptoms that have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. Regional Health Administration (ARS) of the Algarve is strengthening the response to the population and health professionals.
During the first confinement, last March, ARS do Algarve joined forces to create a telephone line capable of providing psychological support to the collateral damage of the Covid-19 pandemic, which opened on April 6, 2020.
“As soon as we knew there was going to be confinement, we immediately started to think about how we could collaborate, in order to have an answer that, from the start, we felt would be useful. ARS endorsed and used our proposal in response to the Regional Office for Mental Health crisis.
“The service is based on a telephone line, with a response that lies between crisis intervention and brief intervention, where we make about 10 calls per user, depending on the needs of each one. In practice, we provide psychological counselling by phone. Contacts are made until we feel that the situation is stabilized or directed to other structures with more thorough care”, explains Natacha Gonçalves, a psychologist at the Albufeira Health Centre,
Almost a year after the opening of the line, more than 300 people sought this help. The vast majority are young and old, not positive, but suffering.
“In reality, situations linked directly to Covid-19 have not been many. They have been, mainly, due to collateral damage: great increase of anxiety; stressful situations; previous depression situations, which in the meantime worsen; some suicidal ideation and panic attacks. They are very varied pathologies, but mainly linked to anxiety issues. In fact, the anxiety and depression that were already prevalent in our population, even before the pandemic, but that with this situation have worsened or created new case”, explains the professional, who already has almost 30 years of experience in the health area mental.
https://barlavento.sapo.pt/destaque/covid-19-ars-algarve-reforca-o-apoio-psicologico

PS Portimão recognizes Isilda Gomes’ work in fighting the pandemic
The Socialist Party of Portimão highlights the “determined, selfless, solid and exemplary” way in which the citizens and institutions of the community have, “for the most part”, fought the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the PS says that Portimão has been a national reference in the way it was organized, “anticipating problems, anticipating responses, ensuring all conditions for the community in the prevention and treatment of this serious pandemic”, referring to the work of the institutions, health and safety authorities, civil protection agents, parish and city hall officials, mayors and ordinary citizens “who have been faultless in this struggle”.
The socialists who speak of Portimão, as a “solidary city”, recall that in this pandemic, in addition to activating Support and Reception Areas for the Population (ZAP), a field hospital, (CHUA Arena), “investment” was also installed, “that has welcomed Covid-19 patients from other Portuguese cities, who have seen their hospitals full due to the worsening of the pandemic.
In the same statement, the PS emphasizes “the many militants and mayors of the party in Portimão who have been at the forefront of this struggle, their contribution having been predominant in ensuring that the impact of Covid-19 is as small as possible in our community”.
In this sense, the party speaks “of the most elementary justice, not only recognizing this fact, but also highlighting the decisive and unsurpassable role that Isilda Gomes has assumed in this fight, not begging for efforts to ensure that Portimonenses have been spared this disease” .
https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/d/ps-portimao-reconhece-trabalho-de-isilda-gomes-no-combate-a-pandemia/36633-82