Portugal sets new daily record with 250,000 tests performed | Covid-19
Portugal once again surpassed the maximum number of daily tests on Wednesday, with 249,834 tests performed and a 5% positivity rate, revealed today the National Health Institute (INSA) Ricardo Jorge.
According to the INSA, 186,136 (74.5%) of the tests carried out on Wednesday were rapid tests of antigen for professional use, carried out in the network of laboratories and pharmacies.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly 24.5 million diagnostic tests have been carried out in Portugal for covid-19, a balance that does not include self-tests.
Between December 1 and 22, more than three million tests for covid-19 were carried out in the country, of which 2.1 million were rapid antigen tests in laboratories and pharmacies. This value, according to the INSA, is related to measures that impose “the need to present a negative test for SARS-CoV-2 when accessing services or locations, as well as the increase in testing points throughout the country”.
The previous daily testing maximum had been reached last Friday, the 17th of December, with more than 227,000 tests.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, around 16.1 million PCR tests and 8.4 million antigen tests for professional use have been carried out in Portugal.
Tests for antigens for professional use were once again free in laboratories and pharmacies that adhere to the state reimbursement scheme on 19 November and will be in force at least until 31 December, highlighted the INSA. The measure now covers the entire population, enabling each user to carry out up to six free tests per month, with the aim of intensifying the control of the pandemic, by identifying and isolating the detected cases.