Azores Situation Report Wednesday 18th May 2022
From our colleague in the Azores
Covid-19
In the seven days from Friday 6th of May until Thursday 12th of May there were 3,842 new positive cases of Covid-19 registered in the Azores, and a total of 8,777 tests performed. 3,208 people have recovered, and one death has been recorded bringing the total to 110. There are a total of 3,555 active cases, 646 more than last week.
There are 11 patients in the region’s hospitals and none in the ICU.
88,369 people in the region have had Covid, that’s about a third of the population.
Sailing Boat Rescued
Four crew members, one of them injured, who were aboard a sailboat off Almoxarife beach, in Faial, were helped in the early hours of Monday, due to the worsening weather, revealed the Navy.
According to a statement, the vessel “Toga”, flying the Swedish flag, was off Almoxarife beach, two nautical miles, the equivalent of four kilometres, northeast of the port of Horta, island of Faial, and, ” after an attempt to approach the port without success, given the weather conditions, he gave the alert via radio”.
The crew assistance operation was coordinated by the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Delgada), since 10:07 pm on Sunday, indicated the Navy.
One of the crew of the sailboat “Toga” needed help and medical assistance, having been evaluated by the Centre for Guidance for Urgent Patients (CODU-MAR).
According to the Navy, the crew member had “a possible fracture in the right arm and chest trauma” and had to be evacuated.
The operation was coordinated by the Captain of Porto da Horta, with Marina da Horta and Portos dos Açores, to help the vessel.
Due to weather conditions, and “because there are no safety conditions to carry out the rescue of the injured crew member”, the sailboat had to be towed.
According to the Navy, it docked at 1:35 am on Monday, at the Porto da Horta Marina and the crew member was transported to the Hospital.
MRCC Delgada, the National Maritime Authority, CODU-MAR, Marina da Horta and Porto dos Açores were involved in this operation.
Earthquake felt on Terceira Island
An earthquake measuring 2.6 on the Richter scale was felt on Monday, on Terceira Island.
According to a statement from the Azores Seismo volcanic Information and Surveillance Centre (CIVISA), at 19:52, an earthquake with magnitude 2.6 on the Richter scale was registered, with an epicentre about 11 km east-northeast of Cabo da Praia, in Terceira Island.
According to information from CIVISA, the earthquake was felt with maximum intensity III on the Modified Mercalli scale, in Santa Cruz and Agualva (Praia da Vitória municipality).