Situation Report Azores 28th August – 29th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Government of the Azores announced on Thursday 27th Aug. new measures to support companies in tourism sector which have been severely affected by the pandemic, this will include help to support the ‘on-going’ operational costs of companies. One of the announced supports is the creation of a programme to support the operating costs of companies of up to 75% non-refundable support. This will be awarded for eligible expenses, for example, water and energy, rents and rentals, communications, insurance, surveillance and security.
“The maximum amount per company will be 100 thousand euros and, in the case of a group of companies, the maximum amount is fixed at half a million euros”, announced Vasco Cordeiro, adding that 10 million euros are planned to finance this program. The time frame for this initiative is July 1st, 2020 and March 31st, 2021.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, from 3994 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region since the 25th of August, eight positive cases of COVID-19 on the island of São Miguel and Terceira have been diagnosed. There have also been three recoveries. All the cases have been detected at the airports during the required screening procedure or on the follow-up test carried out on all arrivals to the region on the 6th day of the stay.
So far, 217 cases of infection by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 27 active positive cases, of which 24 are on the island of São Miguel, two on Terceira Island and one on Pico Island.
Situation Report Azores 25th August – 26th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Regional Command of the PSP has said that over the last few days 3 men have been arrested for Domestic Violence. On August 23rd, a 43-year-old man was arrested for the alleged crime of domestic violence in Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira island. On the same day, a 43-year-old man was arrested for the same offence at the police station in the municipality of Ribeira Grande. At Lagoa police station, São 
Miguel, a 61-year-old man was also arrested for the crime of domestic violence.
On August 21st, at the criminal investigation station, a 41-year-old man, accused of domestic violence, was kept in preventive detention after being interviewed.
According to the Annual Internal Security Report (RASI), in 2019, the Azores recorded the highest incidence rate of domestic violence per thousand inhabitants in the country (4.1), followed by the Autonomous Region of Madeira (3.3).
The lowest rate of domestic violence was registered in Beja (2.2), while the national average was 2.8, according to RASI data.
In 2019, according to the report of the Portuguese Victim Support Association (APAV), about 42% of homicides in Portugal were registered in the context of domestic violence.
The number of cases of domestic violence during confinement imposed by the covid-19 pandemic has increased by up to 60%, warned the European department of the World Health Organization in May.
The Azorean airline Azores Airlines, belonging to the SATA group, will resume direct connections between Terceira Island and the city of Porto, from September 16th, the company revealed today.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, from 5,441 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region since the 21st of August, seven positive cases of COVID-19 on the island of São Miguel have been diagnosed. There has also been one recovery.
All the cases have been detected at the airport during the required screening procedure or on the follow-up test carried out on all arrivals to the region on the 6th day of the stay.
So far, 209 cases of infection by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 27 active positive cases, of which 24 are on the island of São Miguel, two on Terceira Island and one on Pico Island.
Situation Report Azores 21st August – 22nd August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The British Government has announced that Portugal and the Autonomous regions of The Azores and Madeira will be added to the list of travel corridors, following the weekly review of data carried out by the Common Biosafety Centre. The measure takes effect from 04:00 on Saturday, so passengers traveling from Portugal to the UK will not need to stay in quarantine for two weeks at home, but those arriving before this date will have to comply in the same the 14 days of self-isolation.
Everyone traveling from abroad to the UK will continue to be required to complete a form with personal information and contact details for tracking purposes. Here is a useful document for all travellers going to the Azores.
https://destinoseguro.azores.gov.pt/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Recommendations-for-a-safe-trip-to-the-Azores_compressed.pdf
There is more information here https://covid19.azores.gov.pt/?page_id=6304
Over the las few days the Regional Health Authority has reported that, from 3,442 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region recently, six positive cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed, five on the island of São Miguel and one on the island of Pico.
Five of the cases were diagnosed as a part of the screening tests carried out on passengers from abroad on arrival and after the sixth day of stay in the Region, they are two men, 32 and 47 years old, and three women, aged between 21 and 43 years old. The other diagnosed person, a man who is 39 years old, has been in close contact with a high risk, positive case, part of the chain of transmission registered on the island of São Miguel.
There has been another recovery, a 46-year-old man, bringing to 151 the number of recovered cases from COVID-19 disease. 202 cases of infection by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, with 23 active positive cases currently, of which 20 on the island of São Miguel, two on Terceira Island and one on Pico Island.
Situation Report Azores 16th August – 19th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, as a result of 1,203 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region in the last 24 hours, a positive case of COVID-19 on Terceira Island has been diagnosed and there have been four recoveries.
The diagnosed case is a 51-year-old man, a non-resident, who arrived in the Autonomous Region of the Azores on August 17th by air from the continent, he obtained a positive result when he was tested on arrival. He is in a stable clinical condition and the procedures defined for confirmed cases, testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been taken care of by the Municipal Health Delegation.
The four recoveries are three men aged between 30 and 56 years old, and one woman, aged 25 years old, all located on the island of São Miguel, the number of recovered cases are now 150.
Thus, so far, 196 cases of infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 19 active positive cases, of which 17 on the island of São Miguel and two on Terceira island.
Situation Report Azores 13th August – 15th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Portuguese Navy and the Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Delgada), has provided assistance to a UK flag, sailing vessel “Della Myra”. The yacht is being crewed by an 80 year-old British man. It was sailing about 178 nautical miles (about 330 kilometres) west of the island of Faial, with food shortages, engine problems and damaged sail. The oceanic patrol vessel Sines was immediately sent out to provide support to the sailboat, this included logistical assistance and support for engine repair.
After the Navy ship arrived to where the yacht was, a technical team boarded the sailboat to supply foodstuffs and repair the propulsion damage.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that the 1,316 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region, in the last 24 hours, did not reveal new positive cases of Covid-19, but there has been a recovery. The recovered case is a 53-year-old woman, bringing the total recoveries in the Region to 143.
So far, 193 cases of infection by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 25 active positive cases, all on the island of São Miguel.
Situation Report Azores 11th August – 12th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
There are 27 active cases of Covid-19 on the island of São Miguel. The most recent cases have occurred due to community transmission in the night spots of the island. The health department is concerned and because of this situation, the Government of the Azores, in an extraordinary meeting of the Government Council held today, by videoconference has determined that for the island of São Miguel, between 00:00 hours on 13 August and 24:00 on September 1, the following:
Closure of drinks and similar establishments, with dance spaces;- Closure, from 10:00 pm, of bars and other beverage establishments, with or without a show, with or without terrace service;
- From 22:00 onwards, fuel filling stations can maintain their operation, exclusively for the purpose of selling fuel and supplying vehicles to the public.
In addition to these, and within the framework of a number of other measures already in force, the Government Council decided to extend the public calamity situation until midnight on September 1, the islands of Santa Maria, São Miguel, Terceira, Pico and Faial, as well as the alert situation on the islands Graciosa, São Jorge, Flores and Corvo.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, as a result of the 2,497 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region in the last 48 hours, four positive cases of Covid-19 on the island of São Miguel were diagnosed, as well as four recovered cases.
The diagnosed cases are three men aged 32, 33, and 39-years-old. All of them have had close contact with two positive cases diagnosed in the last two days. This is a local transmission chain under investigation in the municipality of Ponta Delgada.
They are all in a stable clinical condition and the procedures defined for confirmed cases, testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been taken care of by the Municipal Health Delegation.
A woman has also been diagnosed positive. She disembarked in the Region from a connection with the mainland. On her required sixth day test, she was positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The four recovered cases are all men aged between 38 and 54
Thus, so far, 192 cases of infection with the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 27 active positive cases, all of them on the island of São Miguel.
Situation Report Azores 9th August – 10th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The President of the Regional Government of the Azores “Vasco Cordeiro” presented his ‘preliminary’ proposal for an ‘Agenda for the Social and Economic Recovery of the Region’ at the weekend. It is a strategic, ‘consultative’ document that includes 250 ‘suggested’ measures for ‘discussion’, primarily aimed at supporting the tourism sector.
The document is wide-ranging and contributions are being welcome from everyone: https://agendarelancamento.azores.gov.pt/
Meanwhile, the Regional Health Authority reported on Saturday 8th Aug that, as a result of 1,404 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region in the previous 24 hours, six positive cases of COVID-19 on the island of São Miguel were diagnosed.
The diagnosed cases are four men, aged between 13 and 45 years old, and two women, aged 22 and 37 years old, five of whom landed in the Region by air from the mainland on 6th and 7th August, having obtained a positive result for the SARS-CoV-2 virus on arrival.
One of them who arrived on July 6th and obtained negative results in the screening tests then, started showing signs and symptoms of infection. The person contacted the Azores Health Line and was validated as a suspected case and subjected to the collection of more biological samples and respective laboratory analysis, with subsequent positive result. This person had already been infected in his/her country of origin. Documentation was submitted and information that supported its recovery from the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, so the patient will now be under active surveillance under the coordination of the Municipal Health Delegation.
Covid-19 Situation
On Sunday after 1211 tests were taken three more positive cases have been diagnosed. They relate to a man, who is 45 years old, and two women, 27 and 34 years old, who disembarked in the Region from air connections with the mainland, having performed screening tests prior to boarding and proof of negative results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus was presented upon arrival in the Region.
Following their stay in the Region, new screening tests were carried out after the sixth day, with all three showing a positive result.
All of them are in a stable clinical condition and the procedures defined for confirmed cases, testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been taken care of by the Local Health Delegations
So far, 188 cases of infection by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 27 active positive cases, all of them on the island of São Miguel. The last time the island had this many active cases was around 15th May this year.
Situation Report Azores 7th August – 8th August 2020 – From our colleague in the
The Camera of Ponta Delgada has presented a program called “Animar PDL”, which will cost 200 thousand euros. This is a series of events in hotels, restaurants and on the streets, created to mitigate the effects of the covid-19.
The events started on Thursday and 229 artists are going to perform in 65 different events. Over the next few weeks 18 wandering performers will walk through the streets in the historic centre of Ponta Delgada.
Also planned are 16 live concerts, a sample of live art, three DJs will perform, 15 solo performers will entertain, an open-air cinema, two children’s shows and a concert of viola da terra.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that the 1,548 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region, in the last 24 hours, did not reveal new positive cases of COVID-19.
The Region maintains a total of 179 cases of infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and there are currently 19 active positive cases, all of them on the island of São Miguel.
Children under 12 will not pay for air travel to the Azores (conditions apply)
The Government of the Azores announced this Friday the creation of a national and international campaign so that children up to 12 years old do not pay for air travel to the region, as a way to relaunch tourism due to the covid-19.
The proposal is part of a set of 250 measures on the agenda for the social and economic relaunch of the region in the post-pandemic of the covid-19, which was presented today by the President and Vice President of the Government of the Azores, Vasco Cordeiro and Sérgio Ávila , respectively. The document, available online, reads that ” financial support will be given for campaigning, national, European and international, aimed at families, in which, with two paying adults, children up to 12 years old do not pay for the trip by plane”.
About this measure it is also said that it will be “operationalized” through a contract between the Regional Government, the “airline, the participating tour operators” and “those responsible for offering promotional packages”. The document states that the initiative will start in the second half of 2020, without specifying more details.
In the presentation of the agenda, the Vice-President of the Government highlighted that the document is organized in two pillars: one that aims to “relaunch the economy of the Azores” and the other to “build more resilient Azores”. In the tourism sector, the Regional Government intends to carry out a campaign, at national and European level, in which “the possibility of visiting three islands without paying the inter-island air fare” is offered, with the minimum stay requirement of “two nights on each of the islands “.
Situation Report Azores 4th August – 5th August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Regional Government has awarded more than 1,000 ‘Clean & Safe Azores’ seals on all the islands of the archipelago, said the Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism Marta Guerreiro.
According to the minister, 18 training courses were held in the areas of Hospitality, Local Accommodation, Rural Tourism, Tourist Entertainment and Maritime Tourism, Rent-a-car, Travel Agencies, Tours and Tourism Information Professionals, Restaurants and Tourism Offices, 1,470 enterprises enrolled, and a total of 1,852 people completed the on-line courses.
The Government of the Azores will reorganise the ‘covid-19 test area’ at João Paulo II airport in Ponta Delgada, this is to “streamline” the testing procedures for passengers who disembark on the island of São Miguel. There have been delays at the current facility, leading to complaints.
The Regional Health Authority has reported that the 1,295 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region in the last 24 hours did not reveal new positive cases of COVID-19.
Yesterday, as a result of the 890 tests carried out, a positive case of COVID-19 on the island of São Miguel was diagnosed.
The diagnosed case is a 47-year-old man, not resident in the Azores, who landed in the Region by air from the continental on August 2nd, having obtained a positive result for the virus on arrival SARS-CoV-2.
He is in a stable clinical condition and the procedures defined for confirmed cases, testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been taken care of by the Municipal Health Delegation.
The Region maintains a total of 176 cases of infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and there are currently 17 active positive cases, all on the island of São Miguel.
In case of symptoms, do not go to a Hospital or Health Centre, but call the Azores Health Line – 808 24 60 24.
For more information, visit the website created by the Government of the Azores on pandemic control in the Region, at https://destinoseguro.azores.gov.pt/ , or the Facebook page of the Regional Health Directorate, at https: / /www.facebook.com/DirecaoSaudeAcores/ .
The Government of the Azores has also provided the Azores Non-Medical Clarification Line COVID-19, at 800 29 29 29, which can be used between 8:30 am and 6:30 pm, on working days, and the RIAC Line 800 500 501, which works from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 10:30 pm, and on Sundays, from 10 am to 10:30 pm.
It is also available the email address esclarecimentocovid19@azores.gov.pt for clarification on measures taken in the region to cope with the new coronavirus pandemic.
Situation Report Azores 2nd August – 3rd August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, after 1,101 tests carried out by the two reference laboratories in the Region in the last 24 hours, a positive case of COVID-19 on the island of São Miguel has been diagnosed.
The case refers is a 25-year-old woman who is not resident in the Azores and arrived in the Region from by air from the Continent on August 1st, she tested positive for the SARS-CoV- virus when she arrived.
She is in a stable clinical condition and the procedures defined for confirmed cases, testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been taken care of by the Municipal Health Delegation.
There has also been a recovery, a 65-year-old man who landed in the Region, on Terceira Island, on July 14th.
In summary, 175 cases of infection with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, have been detected in the Region, and there are currently 16 active positive cases, all of them on the island of São Miguel.
Situation Report Azores 31st July – 1st August 2020 – From our colleague in the Azores
The Regional Health Authority has reported that, after 1,100 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the last 24 hours, two positive cases of Covid-19 on the island of São Miguel have been diagnosed.
One of the diagnosed cases is a 58-year-old man, not resident in the Azores, who landed by air from the continent on July 24th, with a negative test document. When he took his 6th day test, this one turned out to be positive.
The other case is a 44-year-old woman, resident on the island of São Miguel, who disembarked in the Region from the continent on July 30th, and on arrival obtained a positive result in the screening test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
So, with another positive case on Wednesday and in the Region as a whole, 174 cases of infection with the new coronavirus have been diagnosed, with currently 18 active positive cases, of which 17 on the island of São Miguel and one on the island of Terceira.
In other news, a security guard from a private company in Ponta Delgada was the victim of a frenzied attack yesterday at dawn.
The victim was attacked with a ‘close range’ weapon, suffering injuries to the head, neck and shoulder and requiring hospital treatment. According to the latest information, he has been discharged and is recovering from his injuries. The attacker was caught in the act and arrested at the scene, the 30 year-old man is being held by the PSP in Ponta Delgada.
Face masks compulsory for children in school
Jet2holidays increased its offer in Madeira
On Tuesday, 2 passengers were identified as suspected cases. An
Ten people are in quarantine in Porto Santo after having been in
The Madeira archipelago is under yellow and orange warning for
ADC Porto Ocidental, a laboratory in Porto that has an agreement with the
There will be a water supply disruption on Monday, from 9h30 to 15h00, due
been collected until Tuesday (at 16h30). Overall, as of Sunday, 62,364 samples had
This is a result of a successful application for the project “WIFI4EU – Free
The SRS 24 helpline (Regional Health Service – 800 24 24
It has adopted the following
Doca do Cavacas to be closed on Monday
An exhibition celebrating the 80th anniversary of the arrival of about
There are 20 patients in isolation at a
Members of the public watching Rally Vinho da Madeira were
The Madeira Regional Government will fund the increase in the
Idalino Vasconcelos, the Mayor of Porto Santo, expressed his sadness with
On Monday, 2 passengers were placed under
The Madeira Regional Government had already signed an agreement with 5
Bathing is banned at Praia das Palmeiras (Palmeiras Beach),
There are 6,467 people under active monitoring and 8,413 people in
He reinforced this by highlighting two crucial developments coming up.
tourists when returning to the UK. He added that Jet2 had managed to motivate a
“We have September and October still with good weather for bathing, but above all, we have new motivations for visiting, which find their peak season in this period, namely golf, which is one of the main reasons for visiting the region”, he said.
According to João Fernandes, president of Turismo do Algarve, “with these campaigns we want to encourage last minute reservations, a trend that, given the current context, has been growing significantly”.
In the course of several complaints informing the realization of a private party, the military of the Guard carried out several actions with a view to ascertaining the location of the event, having determined the exact location, and so proceeded to inspect the party. The event was widely publicized by the organizing company on social networks, with exclusive entrance for customers with table reservation and the location transmitted only 12 hours before its start, with several guest artists.
The average national occupancy rate / room was 32.6 percent, that is, 50.9 percentage points (pp) below that seen in July 2019 (-61.0 percent). Since January, this indicator has been 63.2 percent lower (-38.5pp) than in the previous year.
Lagos alone, the increase was 220% of families supported per month, representing about 660 monthly baskets, when before the pandemic, there were 120.
The epidemiological situation in the Algarve “is stabilized”, after two weeks “with, practically, every day with a number of new single digit daily cases”, explained Ana Cristina Guerreiro, the Regional Health Delegate, at the press conference balance sheet of the pandemic, which took place today, the 14th, in Loulé.
The operation took place in the Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Natural Park and involved 22 personnel. Taking place between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm, it resulted in a total of 116 vehicles being checked surveyed, of which 91 were misdemeanours resulting from camping and wild caravanning were identified, as well as illegal parking in non-permitted places, and 25 for non-compliance with the traffic sign regulation.
The arrest occurred following a complaint that a man was stealing carob from a piece of land, so the GNR military went “immediately to the place”, where they surprised the suspect, “who was caught in possession of 212 kilograms of subtracted carob, already packed in bags for transportation”.
This is the second consecutive day that the Directorate General for Health counts deaths in the Algarve after more than two months without deaths in the region.
Camião da Esperança (Truck of Hope) is from today and until August 14 in the municipality of Lagoa next to the Senhora da Rocha promontory doing molecular and serological tests to Covid-19 and advising the population about public health care and practices during the pandemic.
“Outbreaks are, at this moment, mainly based on family,” said Rui Portugal, explaining that it is the meetings of people who do not live together that are potentiating the new cases. “Despite being from the same family and having the same names, they have to realize that if they are in different nuclei, contagions from one nucleus to another may occur,” he warned, asking everyone to continue to maintain the rules of social distance.
This initiative started in May, with the distribution of masks to residents of social districts, the elderly and professionals in the areas of intervention and civil protection and to families who resorted to the Loulé Solidário line during the peak of the pandemic. In this first phase, more than 2,500 masks were distributed throughout the municipality.
“A reason to be proud”. This is how those responsible for the Eurocity of Guadiana see the collaboration between the firemen of Portugal and Spain in the extinguishing of a fire yesterday, Monday in Ayamonte, Spain.
In this book to increase water consumption dozens of recipes are suggested to make the summer fresher and healthier for everyone for example, flavoured waters among others.
Inclusion of the Mãe Soberana (Sovereign Mother) in this list was published yesterday in the Diário da República.
“In this light, the appeal is to avoid any activity that could cause any ignition,” said the official, adding that the special red alert status for districts has been determined”.
Rui Andrade, Commander of the Captaincy of Tavira, said that the alert was given by the lifeguard from Terra Estreita beach, located in Santa Luzia, Tavira, at about 13.20 hours, following reports by bathers who said they had seen a shark approaching the coast.
At the end of this hearing, at the Hotel Vila Galé Albacora, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered that the Algarve “needs a redoubled and specific attention”. “There is no other region in the country that depends so much on tourism, a sector that hit the bottom,” he said. The Government has already announced the elaboration of a specific recovery plan for the region, something that Rui Rio, president of PSD, also mentioned, in a recent visit to the Algarve, to be necessary.
Through information available in Portuguese and English, the rules for responsible use in the 25 bathing areas of the municipality and the duties of bathers are pointed out in actions promoted by the Municipal Civil Protection Service.
“The capacity of the beach is largely exceeded and there is no inspection of compliance with it. There is no social distance. There is no indication of the capacity of the beach, such as signs or flags”, criticized the user of that beach in the district of Faro.
The President of the Republic, assumed that “it was an honour and a pleasure” to have visited the home for the first time, leaving the promise that he will return, “when we all take off our masks”.
Safe Communities were able to ask a number of questions reflecting feedback we had received from the foreign community over the last 4 months. We wish to thank the Mayor of Loulé Vitor Aleixo for his very kind invitation.
Scientists from the UK Science & Innovation Network Office have met with the Algarve Biomedical Centre (ABC) with the aim of implementing, in the United Kingdom, the pool method that allows analysis to be carried out “more quickly and cheaply”.
The Integrated Medical Emergency System (SIEM) has been reinforced with eight seasonal ambulances to increase the response capacity in regions of the country where the population increases in the summer, announced today the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM).
The Municipality of Loulé informed that, following a new outbreak of the disease among workers at a construction site taking place in the municipality (Quinta da Ombria), dozens of people linked to the construction company responsible for carrying out the work were tested. .
One issue I would like to raise again is the responsible use of social media – or I should say irresponsible. Whereas people are rightly quick to cricise the UK media when they make speculative and inaccurate comments about Portugal and its tackling of Covid-19, it is often the same people who themselves make equally damaging comments on certain Facebook groups in the Algarve.
Yesterday we reported on the thunderstorms that hit Portugal overnight on Monday causing at least 12 fires according to the ANEPC. We now have more detail that on the night of July 20 and early morning of July 21, the instability associated with a depression in altitude, centred in the southwest of Lisbon and in a slow movement to the northeast, gave rise to strong electrical activity in the central and southern areas. The number of electric discharges was over 13,000 and those that hit the ground, recorded between 2100 hrs on the 20th and 0900 hrs on the 21st, was over 2600 “, explained the IPMA in a statement.
Without confirming or giving data on the number of infected and tested employees, the Continente hypermarket chain confirmed to Lusa that, “as indicated by the local Health Authority and with the objective of preventing and early detection of cases, all employees of Continente Modelo Torres Vedras and the stores in the commercial gallery, although asymptomatic “, were going to be tested. Hypermarket and shops are open.
According to a statement from GNR, the man was detained in the vicinity of the residence where he had to be quarantined, in the town of Montoito, in the Alentejo municipality of Redondo.
In a statement, the municipality of Lisbon explained that in the forest perimeter of the Serra de Sintra the “prohibition of circulation, parking and remaining of vehicles” comes into effect.
The eight cases that remain active “are imported” and were “identified in the context of the surveillance activities implemented at the Covid-19 Screening Unit at Madeira Airport”, in Funchal.
“It was decided that as of September 15, if there is no resurgence of the pandemic, the plenary will now have the 47 deputies in office, instead of the operating and deliberation quorum that we had been adopting in this period more difficult to confine and gradually de-define parliamentary work ”, declared the president of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira (ALM).
António Pina, who holds the presidency of AMAL with that of the Chamber of Olhão, thus reacted to the agreement reached at dawn between the member countries of the European Union to relaunch the economy after the crisis caused by the pandemic of covid-19 and which he attributes to Portugal, with the long-term budget of the European Union (EU) and the Recovery Fund, 45 billion euros in subsidies, earmarking 300 million euros to the Algarve.
According to the commander of the Olhão Coastal Control Detachment, Nuno Marinho, the vessel was still detected at sea by the Integrated Surveillance, Command and Control System (SIVICC), by GNR, and were intercepted by military personnel, at 7.30 pm on the beach. They appeared to be “in good health”, although one of them was using crutches.
On Tuesday 28th July the Regional Health Authority reported that there have been six new cases of covid-19 diagnosed, three were made following 1,007 tests carried out in the two reference laboratories in the Region, one of which referred to a 53-year-old woman who is not resident in the Azores. She arrived by air from the mainland on July 26th and on Monday received a positive result.
The UK Government announced, yesterday, that existing UK restrictions on travel between the UK and Portugal (including the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores) will remain in place for the time being. In particular, the requirement to ‘self-isolate’ for fourteen days on arrival in the UK from Portugal, remains in place. It’s understood by the authorities that this is a ‘disappointing outcome’ for many people in both countries.
Between January and June this year, more than 98% of the people who contacted the Azores Health Line followed the instructions given by nurses and did not need to resort to more help or differentiated care after the initial assessment made by telephone.
“RTP Açores” reported, yesterday that most of the Canadian emigrants who’ve been arriving at Ponta Delgada Airport in the past few days, have been submitting ‘invalid’ “Covid-19” test results! A test, taken 72 hours before departure, is required to enter the region, otherwise one must be taken on arrival.
The Azorean government has produced an ‘online’ ‘risk assessment’ questionnaire for people, coming to the ‘Archipelago’. It aims to ‘streamline’ and speed up ‘arrivals’ in the region and can be accessed on this website: 
The districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Vila Real, Bragança, Aveiro, Viseu, Coimbra, Castelo, Branco, Leiria, Lisbon, Setúbal and Faro on the mainland plus the islands of Flores and São Miguel in the Azores & the island of Porto Santo, off Madeira, had a ‘very high’ risk. For regions with a ‘very high’ risk, IPMA advises that people use sunglasses (ideally with a UV filter), hats,’t-shirts’, parasols and sunscreens. Also, children should avoid ‘exposure’ to the sun.
The Regional Health Authority reported has said this afternoon that the 1,114 tests carried out at the two reference laboratories in the Region in the past 24 hours did not reveal positive cases of COVID-19.
The Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPD) expressed concern yesterday about, “unexplained failures” in reporting the results of “Covid-19” screening tests. In response, the Regional Secretary for Health Teresa Luciano says that thousands of tests have been carried out on passengers arriving in the Azores which is why there’s been a delay in issuing some results. They should be available within 12 hours but some arriving passengers have had to wait two or three days, in ‘self-isolation’ in their accommodation, waiting for news.
At the moment, SATA “Azores Airlines” don’t have any plans to fly directly from the UK this year although they are flying twice a week from Frankfurt to Ponta Delgada on Thursdays and Sundays.
The autonomous Portuguese regions of the Azores and Madeira have been removed from what’s called the ‘Non-essential travel’ list because of their successes in combating the virus and their low infection rates but unfortunately, while travel to and from the regions isn’t a problem, passengers will still have to complete 14 days quarantine on return to the U.K. This takes effect from tomorrow, July the 4th and stays in place for the time being for all people arriving in the UK from Portugal, as a whole.
A 2.4 magnitude earthquake (very small) on the Richter scale was felt this morning on Terceira island. The epicentre was about 6 km from Lajes base.
The tests, being paid for by the Azorean government, must be completed within 72 hours of flight departure and proof of travel is required. Results are being sent to the regional health authority as well as the visitor.