Portugal enters state of emergency over virus

Published On: November 9, 2020 05:00 PM NPT By: Associated Press

A nurse works at an antigen speed test after performing it on a woman in a nursing home in Ammerschwihr, eastern France, Monday, Nov.9, 2020. So-called antigen tests are cheap and fast, but experts said at the time they are also less accurate than the standard PCR test, which detects even the tiniest genetic trace of the virus. Many governments including in France have started deploying them as a precursor to PCR tests. The antigen tests can give results in 15-30 minutes, and if they turn out positive, the patient is sent for a PCR test to confirm the result. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

LISBON, Portugal, Nov 9: Portugal has entered a state of emergency, with curfews imposed in the areas worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Monday and for at least two weeks, some 7 million people -- around 70% of the country’s population -- must remain at home on weekdays between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.. At weekends, they cannot leave home after 1 p.m.

The government has warned that the state of emergency, which grants authorities special powers, may be prolonged and measures may be tightened if the spread of the new coronavirus does not slow.

The number of virus cases and hospital admissions in Portugal has climbed sharply in recent weeks. The country has seen 2,896 virus-related deaths.