Graça Freitas explained that “light patients, who stay at home and have mild symptoms, have the indication to do a single test and are considered recovered if the test is negative”, after the symptoms are overcome.

"It is a step forward", she stressed.

Until now, all infected people needed to have two negative tests, with an interval of 24 hours, to be considered recovered.

The changes, explained Graça Freitas, stem from "scientific evidence, the guidelines of international organisations, the experience of other countries and the evaluation" to the work done in Portugal.

On the other hand, she added, the tests started to be prescribed by family doctors, to whom the cases are forwarded by the SNS24 line, after a first screening and the indication that this is a suspect of covid-19.