The authorities tighten the screw. Several containment measures aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus will be reinstated in the Lisbon region on Tuesday in order to control outbreaks of contagion, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced on Monday.
Among these measures is the ban on gatherings of more than ten people, when the limit had been raised to 20 people across the country, and the closing of cafes and shops from 8 p.m.
"Certain measures will apply transversely to the entire metropolitan region of Lisbon," said the head of government at a press conference after a meeting with the mayors of the five most affected municipalities.
"The core of the problem is located in 15 districts of these municipalities," he added, adding that the new rules and their geographic application would be detailed during an extraordinary ministerial council before the end of the day.
According to official data compiled by local media, between 21 May and 21 June Portugal registered 9,221 new cases of Covid-19, 85% of which were detected in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions. About half of the new cases have been reported in the municipalities of Lisbon, Sintra, Odivelas, Loures and Amadora.
1,534 dead since the start of the crisis
"The Lisbon region continues to focus our attention and our efforts," said Secretary of State for Health Antonio Lacerda Sales, while the Portuguese capital is due to host the last phase of the Football Champions League in August. "These are fireplaces and, as with fires, we must respond to them with the necessary means to prevent their spread," he said.
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Relatively spared from the coronavirus pandemic thanks to containment measures taken relatively early, Portugal has a total of 1,534 deaths and 39,392 cases. The number of people considered to be cured is 25,548.
While justice announced on Saturday the opening of an investigation into a birthday party that caused a new home in Lagos, in the tourist region of the Algarve (south), the media reported this weekend several evening gatherings of young people, especially in Lisbon and its suburbs.
In this context, the Prime Minister also announced on Monday a tightening of the ban on the consumption of alcohol on the public highway and the preparation of a legal framework allowing the police to impose fines on those who organize or participate at unauthorized gatherings.