Portugal in orange alert, 39 confirmed cases and Faro’s hospital activated
The coronavirus outbreak continues to spread in Portugal and measures are being taken to contain it. As of Monday, the DGS identified 39 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Portugal. The country is currently in the last sub-phase of the orange alert of the emergency plan for COVID-19, that is to say that it is in a phase of “prolonged containment” with “cases imported into the Portugal "and" without secondary chains ", which constitutes a" moderate risk of local spread of the disease in Portugal ". For its part, the Faro unit of the Algarve hospital and university center (CHUA) was activated to receive patients infected with the new coronavirus (Covid-19), according to the instructions of the director general of the health, Graça Freitas while the Algarve records its first 2 cases. Lisbob, the expatriate assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the latest developments in the coronavirus epidemic.
Portugal in orange alert, 39 confirmed cases and Faro’s hospital activated
Portugal is currently in the highest phase of the orange alert, which means that if the alert level goes up, the country will then go on red alert. The next sub-phase, 3.1, the first of the red phase, will be the "mitigation" phase with "local transmission in a closed environment" and it will be there that in some cases individuals without symptoms will have to wear protective masks .
It is during this red phase that “the chains of transmission of COVID-19 will already be established in Portugal, because it is an active epidemic / pandemic situation. In this context, measures to control the disease are insufficient and the response is focused on mitigating the effects of COVID-19 and reducing its spread, in order to minimize morbidity and / or even with the emergence of a vaccine or d 'a new effective treatment ".
The Director-General for Health said yesterday that measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Portugal are working, but stressed that the country must be prepared for "all scenarios". According to Graça Freitas, who spoke at a press conference in Lisbon, the situation in Portugal "is relatively under control", since the country "has not experienced an explosion of positive cases" of infection, therefore "the containment works. "
Despite this, the Director General of Health stressed that the country must be ready to face "all scenarios", stressing that "the pattern of spread of the disease" COVID-19, caused by the new coronavirus, "is different by country. "
Evolution of coronavirus cases in Portugal - Source : DGS
Evolution of coronavirus cases in Portugal - Source : DGS
Faro hospital has been activated to receive patients infected with the coronavirus, announced on Monday the Director General of Health Graça Freitas. She said that in addition to hospitalization, the Faro hospital is able to perform laboratory tests on suspected cases of infection.
"From now on, we can admit patients to this hospital and tests can be carried out there," she added, referring to the Regional Laboratory of Public Health Dr.ª Laura Ayres, at Parque das Cidades, between Faro and Loulé, which is also "ready to test" for Coronavírus screening.
Thus, with this strengthening to the south, it will no longer be necessary to transfer patients to Lisbon.
The Faro hospital has four rooms equipped with negative pressure, to receive patients suffering from contagious pathologies, and has 12 isolation beds, including four in pediatrics, to accommodate children and young people in case of need.