Portugal can surpass 480 cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days in less than two weeks and registers a “strongly increasing trend” of admissions to intensive care.

According to the weekly risk analysis of the pandemic released this Friday, the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, accumulated in the last 14 days, was 386 cases, with a strongly growing trend nationwide. The virus transmissibility index (Rt) has a value above the threshold of 1, indicating a growing trend in the incidence of infections nationwide (1.13) and in all regions of the country.

“In keeping with this growth rate, at the national level, it is estimated that the threshold of 480 cases in 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants can be exceeded in less than 15 days”, advance the “red lines” of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) and the Doctor Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute (INSA).

The age group with the highest cumulative incidence at 14 days corresponds to children under 10 years of age – 597 cases per 100,000 population – who are not eligible for vaccination against covid-19.

According to the document, the number of covid-19 patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) on the continent also showed a strong upward trend, now corresponding to 50% of the defined critical value of 255 beds occupied, when in the previous week was 40%.

“The Algarve and Centro regions have an occupation as a percentage of the alert level above 70%”, the health authorities’ report also refers.

The age group with the highest number of cases of covid-19 admitted to the ICU is between 60 and 79 years old, with a growing trend from the first weeks of October, but, in recent days, the range from 40 to 59 years old it also presents a growing trend.

According to this risk analysis, the pressure on health services and the impact on mortality are moderate but with an increasing trend, and the emergence of the new variant of concern Ómicron supports the “need to strengthen epidemiological, virological and border control surveillance in Portugal , until there is more information”.

Last week, there was an increase in the number of tests, which exceeded 552,000, as well as an increase in the number of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.

As for mortality, on Wednesday there were 17 deaths in 14 days per one million inhabitants, which corresponds to an increase of 10% compared to the previous week and with an increasing trend.

This figure is below the threshold of 20 deaths in 14 days per one million defined by the European Center for Disease Control.

In view of these indicators, the “red lines” of the pandemic indicate that Portugal is experiencing an epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 of high intensity, with a strong upward trend at national level.