COVID-19 | Weekly Update

Friday, 24th July | COVID-19 Daily Update

CURRENT OUTLOOK

The number of people infected by COVID-19 in Portugal rose to 49,692, 313 more in the last 24 hours, according to the epidemiological report released by The Portuguese General Directorate of Health (DGS). 

The data also reveal the occurrence of seven deaths in the same period, bringing the total number of fatalities from the new coronavirus to 1,712 in the country.  

A total of 318 recovered people were also recorded, which increases the total to 34,687.

 

PANDEMIC IN PORTUGAL

António Costa opened the debate on the State of the Nation today, after a parliamentary year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

The discussion of the Health budget for next year, which benefits from European funds, has also started. Minister Marta Temido points out that the need to invest in the NHS generates consensus at the national level, but foresees that this year the internal negotiation of budgetary funds within the Government will not be easy.  

This type of negotiation difficulties is already being felt, at the European level, for the bulk purchase of the future vaccine for COVID-19. In an interview with TSF Radio, the minister said that, because of the pandemic, about two million medical appointments were suspended and that it is necessary to train more professionals to respond to the volume of expected work ahead. 

Meanwhile, the results of the first serological test to the Portuguese population were released. The Ricardo Jorge Institute study concluded that there are 300,000 Portuguese people with antibodies to the coronavirus, that is, they may be immune to the disease. 

Today, the British Government has revised the list of the UK’s tourist air corridor and has again excluded Portugal.

 

PANDEMIC IN EUROPE AND THE WORLD

The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday rejected the “false and unacceptable” statements by the US Secretary of State, who allegedly accused him of having been “bought” by the Chinese government.

Meanwhile, the US Government has already secured 100 million doses of the Pfizer / Bionetch COVID-19 vaccine that is not yet authorized, in an unusual take on a country where private insurance dominates the healthcare system. The country has set the reference price at US$40. The UK and the European Commission have also advanced in the race for it.

As for the number of infections by COVID-19 registered in the world in the last 24 hours, Brazil has again hit a new daily high, with more than 67 thousand new cases, while Russia today surpassed 800 thousand cases. 

In China, a further 21 cases were diagnosed, 13 of which in the Xinjiang region, two in Dalian, and six from abroad.

The Government of Guinea-Bissau will propose to President Umaro Sissoco Embaló the extension of the state of emergency for another 30 days, in the scope of the fight against the pandemic. 

Meanwhile, the Mozambican Ministry of Health is going to conduct a seroepidemiological survey on COVID-19 in the city and province of Maputo within two weeks, given the increasing number of cases.

American millionaire Bill Gates yesterday rejected conspiracy theories widespread on social media that accuse him of being behind the pandemic of COVID-19 or trying to control the world through vaccines.

 

MEDICAL PROGRESS 

A study made by the Obstetrics Service of Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte revealed a low percentage of pregnant women in labour who tested positive for COVID-19 and all without symptoms of the disease.

In Germany, a university decided to organize a concert to study how Sars-CoV-2 can be transmitted under these conditions, in which thousands of people come together in one space. It is a show project with scientific purposes and it will require four thousand volunteers.

 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The European economy grew in July for the first time in five months, confirming a recovery from the historic declines suffered during the months of confinement. 

The IHS Markit PMI index, which measures the evolution of industry and services, rose in July to 54.8, exceeding economists’ estimates (51.1) and staying above 50, the threshold that separates the contraction from the expansion. 

In Portugal, it was revealed that the North contributes more to the national wealth in industrial terms, exporting more in value than any other region. According to economist Guilherme Costa, this is the reason why the plan for the economic recovery cannot focus on a centralist solution. 

In the real estate sector, and despite the pandemic, the average prices of houses sold in Portugal rose 3.7% in the first half of the year in terms of values per square meter, while the average value registered a growth of 4.7%. 

Abroad, it was announced today that the consumer confidence index in Italy fell slightly in July to 100 points, against 100.7 points in June, while that of companies rose to 76.7 points, against 66.2 points.

And in the aviation sector, the scenario remains negative. Bloomberg said that around 400,000 airline workers have already been made redundant, and warned that they would soon lose their jobs or be laid off through special licenses. This industry has suffered more than most sectors, as customers choose to stay “at home” and cut travel abroad.

 

FINANCIAL MARKETS

The Portuguese Stock Index PSI-20 started the last session of the week to fall 0.98%, to 4,494.12 points. 

Outside, the scenario was also negative, with Paris falling 1.89%, Frankfurt dropping 2.08% and Madrid losing 1.57%.