State of emergency set to be extended and hope in some intensive care wards
English language coronavirus news in Portugal on April 10, 2020
Happy Good Friday, everyone. For the second day in a row, we can see fewer deaths than the day before, which is great news. Unfortunately, the latest increase in confirmed cases isn’t as positive as it has been. In raw numbers, it’s the biggest daily jump we’ve seen but that’s not completely unexpected in a pandemic. The percentage value is more concerning. 10.86% is the largest increase we’ve seen since the start of the month.
All this comes with several caveats. Most importantly, authorities all over the world warn against focusing too much on daily figures, because it’s the trend over several days that matters. Also, confirmed case numbers can vary greatly depending on the number of tests conducted and who is tested. The number doesn’t capture every infected person, particularly when as many as one in four people may be asymptomatic.
This BBC article focuses on the UK (unsurprisingly) but gives you a good idea what I’m talking about. And this graph from Diário de Notícias, (more good graphs at this link) is a good illustration of the trend for Portugal. The bars are the total cases and the line is percentage increase.
State of emergency looks set to continue until at least May 1
President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa says he intends to extend the state of emergency until May 1, Diário de Notícias reports. The President says he will listen to the experts and it will be up to the Assembly of the Republic to authorise the measures. “We can’t let down our guard at this decisive moment,” he says.
Público reports that the Prime Minister, António Costa, is considering an extension until at least May 15. The article notes that whenever the state of emergency is lifted, restrictions will still apply and any return to something like normality will be gradual.
Reminder: You can not leave your municipal area (Lisboa, Porto, Cascais, Oeiras, Peniche, Portimão etc) until Tuesday except for health reasons or in an emergency.
It’s still early, but there’s hope rising in some intensive care wards
Yesterday, there were 30 less patients in a critical condition than two day earlier, Diário de Notícias reports. Portugal has twice as many ventilators as before the pandemic and, although it’s far too early to be sure, hope is rising that it might be possible to prevent the health system being overrun.
Intensive care doctor João João Mendes says the number of daily intubations in his hospital, CUF Infante Santo, in Lisbon, is down from about two weeks ago. But he stresses this is unlikely to be the same everywhere, such as in the north where the outbreak is more intense. The hospital in Aveiro recently had to transfer two patients because of a lack of ventilators, DN reports.
Unfortunately, Portugal has a chronic lack of ventilators, monitors, type 3 beds and intensive care professionals, DN continues. That’s 6.4 beds per 100,000 people, well below the European average of 11.5 and the fourth lowest in the EU. In terms of ventilators, which are essential for many critically ill COVID-19 patients, Portugal should soon have 2582, more than double the 1142 previously available.
Most kids won’t be going back to class this school year
Students in year 10 and below won’t be returning to the classroom this school year, the Prime Minister says. Instead, lessons will be divided between digital platforms and televised teaching. He hasn’t ruled out students in year 11 and 12 going back but says any classroom lessons will be “very limited”, Diário de Notícias reports.
In Brief
Europe agrees on €500 billion aid package. You can also read the Irish Independent’s take, in English.
A quarter of people have lost their income with the arrival of the pandemic, a study shows
A lot of people headed south for Troia and Comporta before the Easter travel ban kicked in. But fortunately they’re staying inside.
On a lighter note
Easter in isolation doesn’t have to mean crying into your chocolate eggs or heating up leftovers in the microwave. What better time to try some excellent Portuguese food? Several traditional restaurants are offering takeaway this weekend, serving up plates of traditional cabrito (baby goat). And if takeaway Portuguese food isn’t your thing this cocktail delivery service might interest you.
Image: Pastelaria Versailles