Madrid, July 13, (dpa/GNA) – The number of people in Portugal hospitalized with Covid-19 has risen dramatically, with more than 700 hospitalized on Monday, the most since March.
The 729 people being treated on Monday followed an increase of 57 within the space of a day, according to the health authorities.
In percentage terms, the numbers of Covid-19 patients in hospitals and intensive care units have risen the most since February, the health authorities said.
Case numbers have been rising for several weeks in Portugal. There were 1,782 new cases and eight deaths in the past day, officials said, of the country with a population of about 10.3 million.
While the country’s 14-day incidence rate, of cases per 100,000 people over a two-week period, was 55 just over a month ago, it has since risen from 272 to 315 within a day, according to official data.
The Delta variant of the virus, which is more transmissible, is spreading rapidly and accounts for 90 per cent of new cases.
Portugal introduced a night curfew some 10 days ago to combat the rise in case numbers.
Meanwhile in the worst affected areas, including Lisbon, residents may only leave their homes for a good reason between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am, a measure affecting some 4 million people.
GNA