Virus: record of deaths and hospitalizations in Portugal, soon to be reconfigured

With 122 dead in 24 hours and nearly 4,000 people hospitalized, the Covid-19 pandemic reached new records on Monday in Portugal, which is preparing this week for new strict containment.

Read also: Covid-19: Portugal partially reconfined from Wednesday

At a cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, the government "will

" Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Monday.

"

," President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa had already warned this weekend, who is seeking a second term in the election scheduled for January 24.

After a new death record reached on Monday, Portugal had a total of 7,965 people who died from Covid.

With 213 new patients, a total of 3,983 people were taken care of by the country's hospitals, including 567 in intensive care units, according to the daily report provided on Monday by the General Directorate of Health.

The number of new cases exceeded the threshold of 10,000 daily contaminations last week, before registering a significant drop during the weekend which, however, "

" but rather to a reduction in the number of tests carried out, explained Antonio Costa.

"

" the head of the socialist executive told the press.

“

” said Minister of Health Marta Temido, adding that the increase in the number of cases observed in recent days was linked to the lifting of certain measures for the Christmas period and the cold wave that hit several European countries.

The government must consult a series of public health experts on Tuesday before meeting the next day during an extraordinary council of ministers to decide on a toughening of the measures taken in the absence of the state of health emergency in force since early November.

This new confinement, which could come into force on Thursday, should include the closure of businesses deemed non-essential, restaurants and cafes, but schools should continue to operate in face-to-face mode.