OThe data are part of the latest report by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) and the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA) on monitoring the epidemiological situation of covid-19, released today.

According to the document, there was an increase in the number of hospitalizations in the ward in the age group between 40 and 59 years old, and in intensive care units over 80 years old, “although below the defined critical threshold and the maximum value of last epidemic phase”.

Despite the increase in hospitalizations, the impact of covid-19 is reduced, explaining the INSA that there is maintenance of low mortality from the virus, “with a stable trend and corresponding to a value five times lower than the maximum value observed in the last epidemic phase” .

INSA emphasized that the epidemiological situation justifies the maintenance of booster vaccination, individual protection measures and “frequent communication of these measures to the population”.

The latest data indicate that the BA.5 strain of the Omicron variant of covid-19 was dominant.

According to the document, on November 14, the cumulative incidence for seven days was 63 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with an increase in this incidence in all health regions and in all age groups compared to the previous week, with this increase more significant in the autonomous regions.

As for the transmissibility index (Rt) of the virus that causes covid-19, it was 1.03 nationwide, up from 0.97 the previous week.

The INSA report advancing that the Rt, an indicator that estimates the number of secondary cases of infection resulting from each person carrying the virus, in the period between November 7th and 11th, was equal to or greater than 01, “indicating a growing trend of new cases”. Comparing with the previous report, Rt rose in all health regions except the Algarve.

On November 14, 570 people with covid-19 were hospitalized (no change compared to the previous week) and in the same data there were 42 people in Intensive Care Units.

On the same day, the INSA document also indicates, mortality from covid-19 was 9.3 deaths at 14 days per million inhabitants, showing a stabilization. This value is below the threshold of 20 deaths in 14 days per million inhabitants, defined by the European Center for Disease Control.

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