Portugal reported on Friday the highest number of new daily cases of coronavirus in the past six months, with two-thirds of the contaminations having occurred during family reunions.
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According to the official report published on Friday, this country of 10 million inhabitants recorded 1,394 new confirmed cases of coronavirus contamination in 24 hours, the highest daily figure after the 1,516 cases reported on April 10.
Portugal thus has a cumulative total of 83,928 confirmed cases and 936 people hospitalized, including 125 in intensive care units. With the 12 deaths recorded on Friday, the pandemic has already killed 2,062 people in total.
“Family reunions such as weddings or baptisms are at the origin of 67% of the cases recorded in Portugal in recent days,” the Director General of Health, Graça Freitas, told the press.
In this context, the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa affirmed that it was necessary to “re-evaluate Christmas with the family”, calling on the Portuguese not to organize too large gatherings on this occasion.
The head of state also suggested that the government make it compulsory to wear a mask in the open air, but Health Minister Marta Temido reacted by simply recalling that this was already recommended when it is not possible. maintain a distance of at least two meters between each person.
The Portuguese executive, however, acknowledged Thursday that it would look next week on the need or not to take new measures to curb the upsurge of the epidemic.
In neighboring Spain, the government on Friday declared a “state of alert” in Madrid and in several cities near the capital.