Communiqué from the Regional Health Authority - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Desporto

25 new positive cases of covid-19 were diagnosed in the Azores in the last 24 hours, all on the island of São Miguel, within a context of community transmission, following 2,469 tests carried out in the laboratories of reference in the Region. 

A total of 10 cases were diagnosed in the municipality of Ribeira Grande (four in Rabo de Peixe, one in Ribeira Seca, two in Calhetas and three in Santa Bárbara). The municipality of Ponta Delgada registered four new cases (two in Capelas, one in São Pedro and one in São Vicente Ferreira). In turn, three new cases were identified in Vila Franca do Campo (two in Ribeira das Tainhas and one in Ponta Garça) and eight new cases were reported in the municipality of Lagoa (seven in Santa Cruz and one in Rosário). 

After the initial identification of an individual residing in Castelo Branco, municipality of Horta, Faial Island, as a positive case in the communiqué released on April 16, the case turned out to be false positive. As of yesterday, it is no longer considered a positive case. 

In the same period, 34 recoveries were registered, all on the island of São Miguel: four in Lagoa, three in Ponta Delgada, three in Ribeira Grande, 20 in Vila Franca do Campo and four in Nordeste (see table at the end). 

There are currently 13 patients hospitalised, 12 of them at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in Ponta Delgada, with four patients in intensive care, and one at the Santo Espírito Hospital of Terceira Island in intensive care.  There are 1,403 active surveillance cases. 

As of today, the Region registers 306 active positive cases: 291 on the island of São Miguel, seven on the island of Terceira, seven on the island of Santa Maria and one on the island of Flores. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 4,755 positive cases of covid-19 have been diagnosed in the Azores, with 4,298 people recovering from the disease.

There were 31 deaths, 77 people who left the archipelago and 43 cases with a history of previous cure.  

There are two active transmission chains, one on the island of Terceira and another between the islands of São Miguel and Terceira. A total of 199 transmission chains have been extinguished.  

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 433,243 tests have been carried out in the Azores to test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes covid-19 disease.  

According to the Weekly Risk Bulletin published today, the island of São Miguel remains at High Risk, being subject to the containment measures corresponding to this level of risk. The update of measures will be made this afternoon at a press conference to be held by the Regional Health Authority in Angra do Heroísmo. 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, to April 18, 66,557 people aged 15 or over were vaccinated in the archipelago (46,165 received the first dose and 20,392 the second dose), as part of the first phase of the Regional Vaccination Plan.  More information at: https://vacinacao-covid19.azores.gov.pt.  

RECOVERIES