The DGS epidemiological bulletin also indicates that 3,333 people are hospitalised, 40 more than on Wednesday, of which 514 are in intensive care, i.e. one more.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Portugal has already registered 7,472 deaths and 456,533 cases of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and 93,360 cases are now active, 6,356 more than on Wednesday.

This is the second day with the highest number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic, after Portugal recorded a daily record of 10,027 new cases of infection with the new coronavirus on 6 January.

According to the data, 71 percent of new cases today are in the North region and the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region.

Health authorities have 103,771 contacts under surveillance, 3,668 more than the previous day.

The bulletin also reveals that a further 3,476 people have been reported as recovered.

Since the beginning of the epidemic in Portugal, in March, 355,701 people have recovered.

Regarding the 95 deaths registered in the last 24 hours, 38 occurred in Lisbon and Tagus Valley, 27 in the North region, 17 in the Centre region, 10 in Alentejo and three in the Algarve region.

Also according to the DGS bulletin, the North region registered 3,554 new infections by SARS-CoV-2 in the last 24 hours. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Northern region has registered 225,957 cases of infection and 3,373 deaths.

In the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo 3,501 new infections have been reported, with 148,343 cases and 2,601 deaths so far.

In the Centro region there have been a further 1,855 cases, with 55,523 infections and 1,093 deaths.

In the Alentejo there have been a further 574 cases, totalling 13,389 infections and 288 deaths since the beginning of the epidemic in Portugal.

The Algarve region has today reported 348 new cases, totalling 9,184 infections and 79 deaths.

Madeira has registered 27 new cases. This autonomous region accounts for 1,905 infections and 16 deaths due to covid-19.

In the Autonomous Region of the Azores 68 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours, totalling 2,232 infections and 22 deaths.

The new coronavirus has already infected at least 205,208 men and 251,166 women in Portugal, according to DGS data, 159 cases of unknown sex are under investigation, as these data are not provided automatically.

Of the total number of fatalities, 3,892 were men and 3,580 women.

The highest number of deaths is still concentrated in the elderly over the age of 80, followed by people aged between 70 and 79.

The government decided today to "extend the rules currently in force" in the fight against the pandemic on the continental territory, in the framework of the new state of emergency, and also to determine a "precautionary measure" next weekend for the counties at greatest risk.

The covid-19 pandemic has caused at least 1,884,187 deaths as a result of more than 87.1 million cases of infection worldwide, according to a report by the French agency AFP.