Incidence rate of 203 cases per 100K, country is in ‘fifth phase’ of pandemic

Portugal is in the fifth phase of the Covid-19 pandemic and has an incidence of infections of 203 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, being higher in young people, according to the country’s national health authority, the DGS.

“We have had four major pandemic phases and we are currently in the fifth, so far with an impact on severity and mortality lower than previous phases, although they deserve special attention,” said Pedro Pinto Leite, DGS, at the evaluation meeting on the situation of the pandemic in Portugal at the headquarters of Infarmed in Lisbon.

According to him, the current incidence is 203 cases of infection by SARS-CoV-2 in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants, with a growing trend.

According to the specialist, the region with the highest incidence of infections is the Algarve, followed by the Centre and Madeira, with these three regions exceeding 240 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Lisbon and Tagus Valley has an incidence slightly lower than the national rate, followed by the Alentejo, North and Azores, but also with a growing trend and with variations over 10%.

Pinto Leite also said that the age group with the highest incidence of infections is children up to 9 years old, which corresponds to a section of the unvaccinated population.

The group between 20 and 29 years old is the second with the highest incidence of infection, followed by the group between 30 and 39 years old.