Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 1st September 2021
Introduction
Good morning – We start today with the news that rural fires have already caused nearly 26 thousand hectares of burnt area in 2021, according to provisional data available on the website of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), which show an increase greater than 60% in two weeks.
In total, there have been 6,620 rural fires to date, resulting in 25,867 hectares of burned area, mostly in bush areas (72%), but also in forest stands (21%) and agriculture (7%).
The data available on the ICNF website, referring to the period between January 1st and August 30th, are provisional, but reveal that in just two weeks the burnt area more than doubled, increasing 62.5% since August 15th.
This increase in just two weeks shows how much weather plays a major role in how fires start, develop and spread. With increasing temperatures and very low relative humidity levels, plus strong and gusty winds, makes it very difficult to bring rural fires under control once they get a hold.
This is why we at Safe Communities, step up our preventive and self-protection advice when there are forecasts that indicate that we are heading towards these conditions. It is essential that everyone living in rural areas is aware of these measures, so please share this advice as widely as possible.
With regards to the IPMA daily Fire Risks and FWI maps, although at first glance they may look similar each day when published, often there are marked daily variations, determining the level of fire risk. So it is important to read these, particularly on days when there are other warnings in place as well.
Luckily we live in a country which has advance weather forecasting and importantly, close communications between the meteorologists at the IPMA and technicians at Civil Protection. They meet daily by video link where the weather forecasts are discussed and analysed together with various warnings. This enables the identification of conditions that may require special measures, such as increasing internal operational deployments of emergency services and/or the issuing of ANEPC Notifications to the public.
Arising from these meetings in extreme weather conditions, orange or red level warnings may be raised by the IPMA, and in the case of the latter, the ANEPC will issue SMS’s to the population of the districts involved to ensure awareness. This may be reinforced with a Situation of Alert which we have seen recently. These situations mean the weather conditions can be “life threatening” so special care is needed.
This is not just, however, for rural fires alone, but also for other conditions as well. With more extreme weather, we seem to be experiencing a greater incidence of isolated storms with thunderstorms and hail. Both of these can cause extensive damage. Experiencing these in August/September may appear unusual, but this is exactly what meteorologists are forecasting for today in four districts. So be prepared and take care.
As many of you know Safe Communities Portugal is not simply a Facebook page, but a registered non-profit organisation in Portugal, having gained qualification as a Civil Protection Volunteer Organisation (one of 15 in Portugal) as well as a “utilidade pública” declared by the Council of Ministers in the area of public safety.
“Civil Protection” is a phrase which we use a lot on the website and on the Facebook page. It is a very important part of our “raison d’etre” and whilst it may not seem as important as some subjects, we know from experience that at some point, we could well be impacted. This subject encompasses a wide range of issues, which will become relevant to anyone who lives in Portugal and we encourage everyone to take an interest by being fully aware of what is happening with regards to Civil Protection in your area.
We do not have a crystal ball at Safe Communities, but we do have the qualifications and vast experience as an organisation to make informed and timely advice.
Whilst on the subject of rural fires a reminder to take care when using BBQs during periods of very high or maximum fire risk. There are laws on this subject in public areas. In your garden please follow the advice concerning safety available on our website and the Facebook post yester. Should use of a BBQ result in a fire the user can be held liable.
Lastly please take note of the thunderstorm and heavy showers warnings in place in some districts.
A last note – please take a read of our overseas report by Mike Evans today. A very sad Covid-19 story reflecting the situation in Indonesia – which shows how fortunate we are here in Portugal in comparison.
Have a safe day
Covid-19
Covid-19 DGS Report Tuesday 31st August 2021
Confirmed cases: 1.037.927 (+1908 / +0.18%)
Number in hospital: 677 (-28 / -3.97%)
Number in ICU: 136 (-13 / -8.72%)
Deaths: 17.743 (+13 / +0.07%)
Recoveries: 976.097 (+3389 / +0.35%)
Active cases 44,087 (-1494 / – 3.27%)
Hospital admissions show the biggest decrease in 24 hours, in absolute terms, since March 19th.
In ICU, is the lowest level since 8th July.
The numbers for infections are lower than any Tuesday in July and August (eight in total). In those eight days, infections varied between 2076 (August 3rd) and 2706 (July 20th) – the average in August is 2235.3 cases per day.
The average in August is 12.3 daily deaths. Of the 13 deaths reported in the DGS bulletin today, 11 occurred in people over 70 years of age.
For the 13th consecutive day, the North continues to be the region with the most cases in the entire national territory.
Health
Delta Variant accounts for 100% of all cases in Portugal
The Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the only one in circulation in Portugal, accounting for 100% of infections in all regions of the country, announced today the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).
“The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has a relative frequency of 100% in the week of August 16th to 22nd in all regions, according to data collected to date”, states the INSA report on diversity genetics of the virus that causes covid-19.
According to the institute, the various variants that have already circulated in the country – among which Beta, Gama and Alpha, which was the predominant one – have a prevalence of 0%, which means that no cases of these strains were detected. of the virus in the last few weeks.
As for Delta, initially identified in India and considered more transmissible than Alpha, of the total analysed sequences of this variant, 66 showed an additional mutation in the `spike’ protein, an underline known as Delta Plus which has “maintained a relative frequency below 1%” in recent weeks.
As part of the continuous monitoring of the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2, the INSA has analysed a weekly average of 559 sequences, obtained from samples collected at random in laboratories distributed throughout the 18 districts of mainland Portugal and the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira, covering an average of 123 counties per week.
In June, the institute announced a strengthening of surveillance of the variants of the virus that causes covid-19 in circulation in Portugal, through its continuous monitoring.
75% of young people aged 12 to 17 years vaccinated with the first dose
On Saturday and Sunday 86 thousand teenagers from 12 to 17 years old were vaccinated. Thus, the task force advances, after three weekends of vaccination, 75% of this age group received the first inoculation against covid-19.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, the structure, led by Vice Admiral Gouveia e Melo, announced that 75% of children have already received the first dose of the vaccine.
The task force also took the opportunity to recall that, under the “Open House” modality, users can be vaccinated “in any centre in mainland Portugal of their choice, using the digital password system”.
In addition, he added that, under this regime, the Portuguese can also “appear at vaccination centers, regardless of their situation in the self-scheduling process”.
It should be noted that users of Residential Structures for the Elderly (ERPI) or bedridden who, for some reason, have not yet been vaccinated, can report the case to the task force via the email address tf.comunicacao@emgfa.pt.
“At this stage, all eligible users who have not yet been vaccinated are called upon to go to any vaccination centre, thus contributing to their protection and that of the rest of the population”, the structure states.
Study shows birth rates down due to pandemic – Portugal down 6.6%
The pandemic aggravated the declining birth rates in rich countries, with Italy seeing the sharpest decline in 2020. There were 16,000 fewer births and the country saw its birth rate reduce by 9.1%, according to a study of the Bocconi University of Milan published in PNAS magazine.
The study covered 22 countries (including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, USA, Germany, France, Spain, Hungary, Iceland and Israel).
“Countries like Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, where there is more generous welfare and individuals are less afraid of employment and income, there has been no decline in births,” study author Letizia Mencarini told Ansa news agency.
“Countries like Italy, Portugal and the USA, on the other hand, have had more repercussions due to the economic and employment uncertainties linked to the pandemic” she added. According to Mencarini, the pandemic further exacerbated the socio-economic inequalities especially among the youngest, who are more likely to postpone starting a family.
According to the models of the study, “which take into account the fertility trends already underway in the various countries (caused for example by a reduction in potential mothers), the most significant falls in births occurred in Italy (- 9.1% of born compared to 2019), Hungary (- 8.5%), Spain (- 8.4%), Portugal (- 6.6%)” Mencarini said.
For Italy, the months with the fewest births were December 2020 (3,500 fewer births compared to December 2019) and January 2021 (5,000 fewer births), with a decline in conception linked to the first pandemic wave.
While the average drop in births in the other months of 2020 compared to the same month in 2019 was 3%, in December it was 21%, and the same in January 2021.
Other news
Twenty more Afghan Refugees arrive in Portugal today
Portugal will receive today about 20 more Afghan citizens who join the 66 refugees who are already in national territory, said the Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva.
“We have received 66 people so far and today a group of around 20 people will arrive. And, therefore, we will already have a significant number”, said the minister, in Guarda.
The minister was speaking to journalists on the side lines of the public session for the signing of the financing contract for the New Generation of Social Equipment and Responses, within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, between the Social Security Institute and the Recuperar Portugal Mission Structure, which also it was attended by the minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, and the Secretary of State for Social Action, Rita Mendes.
According to the government official, the Afghan citizens who arrived in Portugal are concentrated in two centers and, later on, will be received.
“We have, at this moment, an emergency situation, we have to wait for people to arrive so that we can complete their profiles. They are currently in two centers in a more centralized way, and then move on to more stable reception solutions. This is the work being done”, he explained.
Mariana Vieira da Silva said that people “came tired” because “the days were very difficult until we left Afghanistan”.
“[Now] is the time to welcome them… to give them a framework of stability and peace, so that we can continue with the welcome that should already be directed according to their characteristics (…) to try to find the best way to welcome them in Portugal”, he continued.
Many City Councils, social sector institutions, civil society organizations and also many families were willing “not only to host, but also to contribute to making the host more successful.
“This is an excellent sign that our country is giving at this difficult time and, now, it is time to get down to work on this reception”, admitted the Minister of the Presidency.