The epidemiological bulletin of the Directorate-General for Health indicates that there are currently 10 fewer people in the hospital wards, now totalling 427.

In intensive care units there are 106 patients, six more compared to Wednesday.

The Lisbon and Vale do Tejo area has 67.4 percent of the total of new national infections, registering 1,049 cases.

The total number of cases today is the highest since February 20, the day Portugal registered 1,570 cases.

The two deaths in the last 24 hours occurred in the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region and in the North region.

The data released by the DGS also show that there are over 685 active cases, now totalling 29,697 and that 869 were reported as recovered in the last 24 hours, increasing the national total to 823,103 recovered.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, in March 2020, 17,079 people have died in Portugal and 869,879 cases of infection have been registered.

The number of contacts under surveillance by health authorities rose by 1,251, now totalling 44,670.

The incidence of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in mainland Portugal is 129.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and 128.6 in the entire territory.

According to the joint epidemiological bulletin of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) and the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), the transmissibility index (Rt) is 1.17 throughout the national territory and 1, 18 in mainland Portugal.

The transmissibility index and the 14-day incidence data are updated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

In the Lisbon and Vale do Tejo region, 1,049 new infections were reported, with 334,182 cases and 7,251 dead so far.

The Northern region now has 197 new SARS-CoV-2 infections, totalling 344,164 cases of infection and 5,362 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

In the Centre region there were over 110 cases, totalling 121,333 infections and 3,027 deaths.

In the Alentejo, 42 more cases were reported, totalling 30,786 infections and 972 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the Algarve region, today's bulletin reveals that 130 cases were registered, totalling 23,482 infections and 365 deaths.

The Autonomous Region of Madeira has registered eight cases, totalling 9,869 infections and 69 deaths due to covid-19 since March 2020.

The Azores today have 20 new cases and account for 6,063 cases and 33 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

The regional authorities of the Azores and Madeira publish their data daily, which may not coincide with the information published in the DGS bulletin.

Of the total number of fatalities, 8,965 were men and 8,114 women.

The greatest number of deaths continues to be concentrated in the elderly over 80 years old, followed by the age group between 70 and 79 years old.

Of the total deaths, 11,211 were over 80 years old, 3,645 were aged between 70 and 79 years old, and 1,538 were between 60 and 69 years old.