At the press conference for monitoring the pandemic, Marta Temido stated that between 23 and 27 July, the disease transmission rate, called Rt, was estimated at 0.94, and could range between 0.93 and 0, 96.

"The number of new cases with each generation of the disease [the average capacity of each new infection to generate new cases] is on a gradual decrease at the national level," said the minister.

Currently, there are 381 people hospitalised, 280 of whom are in the units of the regional health administration in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, 41 of whom are in intensive care (27 in the Lisbon region).

Marta Temido said 194 outbreaks are still active in the country: 47 in the North, 12 in the Centro region, 106 in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region, 14 in the Alentejo and 15 in the Algarve.

Health officials consider an active outbreak up to 28 days - the equivalent of two incubation periods - after the most recent case recorded.

In the last seven days, there were 13.4 new cases per 100 thousand inhabitants and in the last 14 days, the incidence rate was 29.1 new cases per 100 thousand inhabitants.