“Portugal reached, on March 30, a total of 40,026,768 tests for the detection of SARS-CoV2, since the beginning of the pandemic”, reads a statement released by the Ministry of Health, which does not include data regarding self-tests.

Among these, there are 20.7 million TAAN/PCR tests and about 19.3 million rapid antigen tests (TRAg) for professional use.

As the executive highlighted, this number is the result of the “testing effort developed by the country, especially over the last year”, through the operationalisation of the plan to promote the testing strategy.

In December 2020, Portugal carried out, on average, about 34,000 tests per day, a month in which 1,060,641 tests were carried out.

In the same month of the following year, there were 174,000 tests per day, with a maximum daily testing on December 30 (402,756) and a monthly total of 5,404,737 tests.

TRAgs for professional use, carried out in participating laboratories and pharmacies, continue to be free of charge up to a maximum of two per month and for each user, a situation that should extend, at least, until the end of April.