Communiqué from the Regional Health Authority - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Desporto

15 new positive cases of covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores in the last 24 hours, all on the island of São Miguel, following 1,989 test carried out in the two laboratories of reference in the Region: 13 within a context of community transmission and two related to resident travelers, members of a sports club, who tested positive before beginning inter-island travel.   

The municipality of Ribeira Grande registers seven new cases (two in Rabo de Peixe, four in Pico da Pedra and one in Santa Bárbara) and four cases were reported in the municipality of Ponta Delgada (two in Fenais da Luz, one in São Pedro and one in Livramento). In turn, the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo registers a new case in Ribeira das Tainhas and the municipality of Lagoa registers three new cases in Ribeira Chã. 

In the same period, 23 recoveries were registered: 20 on the island of São Miguel and three on the island of Terceira (see table at the end). The recovery of both cases identified within a local transmission chain in the municipality of Praia da Vitória has resulted in its extinction, thus ending the existence of active chains on the island of Terceira. A total of 200 transmission chains have been extinguished.   

In the course of the epidemiological investigation, it was observed that, regarding the island of São Miguel, a positive case initially identified in the parish of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, municipality of Lagoa, is now reported to the parish of Água de Pau in the same municipality. Accordingly, the data provided in the attached table reflect this alteration.  

There are currently 15 patients hospitalised, 14 of them at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in Ponta Delgada, with three patients in intensive care, and one at the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island in intensive care. There are 1,140 active surveillance cases.   

As of today, the Region registers 220 active positive cases: 212 on the island of São Miguel, four on the island of Terceira, three on the island of Santa Maria and one on the island of Flores. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 4,893 positive cases of covid-19 have been diagnosed in the Azores, with 4,521 people recovering from the disease. There were 31 deaths, 78 people who left the archipelago and 43 cases with a history of previous cure.  

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 446,996 tests have been carried out in the Azores to screen for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the covid-19 disease. The island of São Miguel remains at High Risk, being subject to the containment measures corresponding to this level of risk. All municipalities of the remaining islands of the archipelago are at Very Low Risk.

As of 12 am tomorrow, Saturday, changes will be introduced to the pandemic containment measures, following the end of the State of Emergency declaration in Portugal, so as to adapt them to the epidemiological reality of the Region. More information on the measures in force can be found online at: https://covid19.azores.gov.pt/ and on the Facebook page of the Regional Directorate for Health: https://www.facebook.com/DirecaoSaudeAcores.    

From last December 31, 2020, and until April 29, 79,589 doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the Azores, corresponding to 56,419 people aged 15 years or over who received the first dose (27.85% coverage rate) and 23,170 who received both doses (11.44% coverage rate), as part of the first phase of the Regional Vaccination Plan.

More information at: https://vacinacao-covid19.azores.gov.pt.

RECOVERIES