Azores Situation Report – Wednesday 10th August 2022 – From our colleague in the Azores
Covid-19
In the seven days from Friday 29th July until Thursday 4th August there were 451 new positive cases of Covid-19 registered in the Azores, and a total of 1,982 tests performed. 572 people have recovered, and no new deaths have been recorded with the total still at 117. There are 443 active cases, 119 fewer than the previous week.
There are 11 patients in the region’s hospitals as of 5th August with Covid, this includes 2 patients that are in hospital because of Covid. There are no patients in the ICU.
118218 people in the region have had Covid, that’s over 49% of the population.
Bad weather in the Azores leaves 11 injured, four in serious condition
Bad weather in the Azores caused 11 injuries, four of them in a serious condition, the Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service of the Azores (SRPCBA) reported Friday.
Five of the injured were taken to the Santo Espírito Hospital on Terceira Island, the most affected, and six to the Praia da Vitória Health Centre, according to the same note.
The incident happened when lightning struck a house in the parish of Vila Nova, on Terceira Island, RTP reported.
The SRPCBA also warned of issuing an orange warning for the possibility of rain “sometimes heavy, which may be accompanied by thunderstorms”.
The orange warning, in effect, ends at 09:00, and must then go down to yellow, until 12:00.
The SRPCBA alert follows the warnings made by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) due to bad weather in the archipelago.
Sailing boat intercepted off the Azores with 1150 kilos of cocaine
The Judiciary Police (PJ) intercepted a sailing boat in the Azores area carrying 1150 kilos of cocaine, suspecting that the detained crew members are part of an “international criminal organization”. The vessel in question was taken to the port of Ponta Delgada where it was searched, eventually detecting, in its structure, several hidden compartments, inside which a total of 1047 packages of cocaine were found, with an approximate total weight of 1150 kilos.
The two crew members, aged 33 and 61, both foreigners, were arrested in “flagrante delicto, for committing the crime of illicit drug trafficking”.
Operation “Safe Night is Quiet Night” starts tomorrow
The Regional Command of the PSP of the Azores carries out, from August 5th to 7th, throughout the regional territory, through the Police Divisions, the operation “Safe Night is Tranquil Night”, aimed at inspecting nightlife establishments that have of rooms or spaces intended for dance.
Communiqué from the Regional Command of the PSP of the Azores, “associated with the lawful activity of nocturnal entertainment, other activities and behaviours occur that are contrary to the current legislation and produce significant changes in the order and perception of safety of the populations, being widely mediatized, especially phenomena of violence involving customers and employees, especially private security guards”.
In this sense, the PSP will promote “inspection actions on nightlife establishments, consolidating its inspection action in the vicinity of spaces, seeking an integrated intervention involving the various means at its disposal”.
At the same time, in the traffic and road safety component, the “Divisions will promote, implement and intensify traffic inspection actions, focusing on incorrect behaviour, especially speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol/psychotropic substances, disrespect of the obligation to stop imposed by the red traffic regulation light and the crossing of roads