Portugal Now one of EU Countries with Most New Covid-19 Cases Threatening ‘Safe Tourism’ Reputation

Portugal is now ranked as the EU country with second highest number of new Covid-19 cases in the last 14 days, after Sweden, which threatens to risk its ‘safe destination’ reputation.

ANALYSTS such as Paulo Santos at online platform Metis, of Porto University’s Faculty of Medicine, attribute the recent spike in cases to the long weekend where thousands of Portuguese, many from “trouble spots” like Lisbon, have travelled south where cases have up until now remained low.

“In fact, right now the only countries where infection rates are increasing [in order], are Sweden, Portugal, the UK and Poland,” he stated.

Although the number of deaths and serious cases are still relatively low in Portugal, hospital admissions have started to increase.

“More people are now being admitted to hospital with complications, as a result of Covid-19,” confirmed health experts.

This is already ruining Portugal’s good press that demonstrated the nation is a “low-risk Covid-19 destination”, with countries like Greece and Austria now refusing to accept visitors from Portugal, although they have opened their doors to arrivals from China, as well as many other European countries, added Santos.