Asked at the daily pandemic conference whether people who die at home or in homes are tested for covid-19 and whether these cases are being reported, Graça Freitas said that “in Portugal, it is not possible for anyone to be buried or cremated , without a death certificate ”.

Death certificates are issued by doctors who know the cause of death and who register them on the SICO electronic platform, which allows us to see “the number of deaths per minute”, he explained.

“In normal years, without covid, about a third of people, varies a little from year to year, die outside the hospital, while the others die in a hospital environment,” said Graça Freitas.

Regarding death from infection with the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Portugal, the authorities go even further: “We are even measuring death with covid even though it is often not the terminal event”.

"Therefore, we are not letting anyone escape, obviously people who die in a hospital environment, people who die at home and also people who die in homes are contemplated here," he said.

At this moment, he stressed, "nationwide, 93% of deaths occurred in hospitals, 4% in homes and 3% at home in people's usual residence".

"All deaths are obviously being counted, it is impossible not to count because it is impossible for people to die and be buried or cremated without having a death certificate and, therefore, yes, they are all being counted", stressed Graça Freitas.