Major new restrictions in Lisbon from midnight tonight, and police break up 1000-person party at Carcavelos beach
Portuguese news in English on June 22, 2020.
By the numbers
The number of new daily cases is stubbornly remaining between 200 and 400, the status quo since the end of May. In better news, deaths are staying relatively low and we actually have less active cases than a week ago, thanks to a relatively high level of confirmed recoveries - there were 470 recoveries yesterday and today is the first day in a week with less than 350.
Major new restrictions in Lisbon from midnight tonight
Shops and cafes must shut at 8pm from tomorrow and gatherings will be again restricted to 10 people, with fines for larger parties, as authorities try to restrict ongoing outbreaks in Greater Lisbon, Diário de Notícias reports. The restrictions, which allow restaurants to stay open later but only to serve meals, come in from midnight tonight throughout the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Prime Minister António Costa said the core of the problem centred on 15 freguesias (parishes) in the region. In several of those, it was possible to isolate residential areas with one major contagion point. The list of parishes hadn’t been “fully defined” because the outbreaks were in confined places such as nursing homes. After meeting with the mayors of the five most-affected council areas (Amadora, Loures, Odivelas, Sintra and Lisbon) for close to five hours and announcing the new restrictions, the PM also announced a new program called Bairros Saudáveis (Healthy Neighbourhoods), centred on reinforcement and prevention in the most affected communities. The measures will be approved in tonight’s Council of Ministers, with punishments for those breaking the law to be defined in a meeting of the same body on Thursday.
Police disperse hundreds of revellers from illegal parties across the country
Police have had to break up several large parties in recent days, not to mention the birthday that infected 90 people in the Algarve, Público reports. About 1000 young people had gathered in a carpark at Carcavelos beach early on Saturday morning, before authorities intervened, according to Público. Smaller gatherings - several of which still hosted a hundred or more revellers - were scattered in Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Lagos and Arrábida. People dispersed quietly in most of the situations but in Porto the group reformed again later in the night and was once again forced to disperse. The government appears to have had enough, with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa warning of “tougher measures” and Prime Minister António Costa referring to a possible “punitive framework” for the organisers and participants of such events. Those fines will come into force from midnight tonight. In news that is not necessarily related but is certainly interesting, Público reports the number of infections among young adults has almost doubled since reopening. Infections have jumped almost 90% (89.3%) in those aged 20 to 29.
The pandemic sunk house sales and new rental contracts in April
Real estate was always likely to be one of the industries most affected by the pandemic, with new data starting to highlight some of those effects. Diário de Notícias reports both house sales and new rental contacts fell sharply in April, most severely in the Algarve and the island of Madeira. Nationwide, sales (not prices) fell 19% from March and 17% against April last year. According to DN, it wasn’t just confinement that tanked sales but also the relative absence of foreigners, who spent €3.4 billion on about 20,000 houses and apartments in 2018. The number of new rental contracts fell by half from March and 13% compared to last April.
In brief
Declaration of drop in income is enough to avoid cut in essential services. Consumers can make an official declaration attesting to a 20% drop in household income to avoid having water, electricity, gas and communications cut off. (Diário de Notícias)
'The probability of a second wave next winter is very high'. Algarve Biomedical Centre director Nuno Marques says we have to be alert and continue to prepare for the likely surge in cases. (Diário de Notícias).
The fortnight in which Portugal had 54 deaths and Spain 1177. In a little less than a month, Portugal has gone from a good example of how to manage the pandemic to a country whose residents have been barred from several countries. But is it a victim of its own testing success? (Diário de Notícias)
Number of unemployed triple in Portugal's tourist-haven Algarve (English, Reuters)
On a lighter note
The lack of tourists is devastating for the economy (don’t worry, I’m getting to the lighter bit) but it does have some small advantages. One of those is the quieter beaches and the chance to see some of our bigger cities and attractions like never before, as discovered by Sunday Times journalist Christina Lamb (paywall). The Britishjournalist with a Portuguese husband tucked into a plate of amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams with coriander, garlic and olive oil) and praised the “blue skies, cold beer, sandy beach and no tourists”. I guess all I’m trying to say is: the pandemic sucks and a lot of people are hurting but there are worse places to be than Portugal so if we see something to be happy for, let’s make sure we appreciate it. It’s time for a beer and a tosta mista in the sun.
Speaking of tostas mistas… thank you so much again to everyone who has already bought me one or subscribed. It really makes a big difference. If you missed the email explaining how to do it you can check it out here or hit one of these buttons to help out.
I’m hoping to keep as many expats informed as possible, so please share this with any friends you think might find it useful.