This analysis was made by the deputy general secretary of the PS, José Luís Carneiro, after another meeting that took place at Infarmed, in Lisbon, with specialists to assess the epidemiological situation of covid-19 in Portugal, focusing on the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, where most of the new cases have emerged.

The meeting was attended by the head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the prime minister, António Costa, the president of the Assembly of the Republic, Ferro Rodrigues, and party leaders.

"The situation is under control, although Portugal is one of the European Union countries that tests its population the most, namely in the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo", maintained José Luís Carneiro, before referring to the "R" indicator concerning the transmission of the new coronavirus.

The deputy general secretary of the PS then pointed out that, between late April and early May, when the process of deflation in Portugal progressed, it was estimated that this step "would translate into an increase in contagion by about 1.2".

"We are in the third phase of the deflation. And, as the President of the Republic said, the contagion indicator is at 1.08, that is, below the estimated indicator when we evaluated and decided to proceed with the deflation", justified the "number two" from the PS direction.

This was the ninth technical meeting held at Infarmed - National Authority for Medicines and Health Products, in Lisbon, at the initiative of the Prime Minister, for information sharing, which also includes leaders of employers' confederations and union centrals and also, by videoconference, the state councillors.