According to the bulletin, the number of new cases includes the sum of 3,570 cases, resulting from the delay in laboratory reporting, mainly from a laboratory in the North region, since October 30.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Portugal has recorded a total of 156,940 confirmed cases of infection with the new coronavirus and 2,694 deaths.

Of the 59 deaths, also the highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic, 34 occurred in the North, 18 in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, five in the Centre and two in the Alentejo.

Regarding hospitalisations, the number of people hospitalised is 2,337 (12 less than on Tuesday) and of these 325 (five more) are in Intensive Care Units.

The DGS also counts 65,300 active cases, 5,081 more than in the last 24 hours, a period in 2,357 patients recovered, totalling 88,946 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The North region continues to record the highest number of new daily infections, registering today more than 5,183, totalling 72,875, and 1,206 dead since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, 1,560 new cases of infection were reported, with the region accounting for 63,250 cases and 1,057 deaths.

In the Central region, 518 new cases were registered, accounting for 13,860 infections and 333 deaths.

In the Alentejo, 120 new cases of infection were registered, totalling 3,031, with a total of 53 dead since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Algarve region has today reported 81 more cases of infection, totalling 3,032 cases and 29 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

In the Autonomous Region of the Azores, nine more cases were registered in the last 24 hours, totaling 388 infections detected and 15 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

Madeira has registered 26 new cases in the last 24 hours, accounting for 504 infections, and one death to date.

Confirmed cases are distributed across all age groups, with the highest number of infections between 20 and 59 years of age.

In total, the new coronavirus has already affected at least 71,223 men and 85,707 women in Portugal, according to the declared cases.

Of the total fatalities, 1,376 were men and 1,318 women.

The largest number of deaths continues to be concentrated in people over 80 years of age.

According to the Directorate-General for Health, data by municipality will be updated during this week, following the reformulation of indicators related to new cases of covid-19.

The application of control measures is based on the cumulative incidence over 14 days, which corresponds to the number of new cases in the last 14 days per 100 thousand inhabitants.

"It is intended that this is the main metric used in the risk assessment of each municipality so that citizens can follow the evolution of the pandemic in the municipalities," explains the DGS in a footnote to the bulletin.

Partial confinement came into effect today in 121 municipalities in mainland Portugal where there is "high risk of transmission of covid-19", with the duty to remain at home, except for authorised travel, such as shopping, work, education and physical activity.

In addition to specific measures for these municipalities, the resolution of the Council of Ministers published in Diário da República prolongs the declaration of a calamity situation in the entire continental national territory until 23:59 on November 19.