It is the second day in which the number of new cases is around 600, a number above the usual in recent weeks.

The epidemiological bulletin of the DGS reveals that 538 patients are hospitalised (20 less than on Wednesday), the lowest since 21 September, when 518 people were hospitalised.

In intensive care, Portugal has 129 patients today, two more than on Wednesday.

The data also reveals that 702 people have been reported recovered, bringing the total number since the start of the pandemic in Portugal in March 2020 to 778,912.

Active cases in Portugal continue to see a decrease, with 26,543 counted today (down 121).

Since March 2020, Portugal has recorded 16,859 deaths associated with Covid-19 and 822,314 cases of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 disease.

Health authorities have 15,950 contacts under surveillance, up 150 from the previous day.

According to the latest data from the DGS, Portugal currently has 1,696,569 people vaccinated against Covid-19: 1,210,996 with the first dose and 485,573 with the second dose.

The transmissibility index (Rt) of the new coronavirus in Portugal is stable at 0.94, while the incidence has fallen to 65.3 new cases of infection per 100,000 inhabitants, according to official data.

According to the joint bulletin of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) and the National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), the Rt is 0.94 in mainland Portugal and islands, according to the latest update made on Wednesday.

Regarding the incidence of new cases of infection with SARS-CoV-2, data shows that it is 65.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and 62.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants if only the mainland is considered, also according to the last update on Wednesday.

The incidence refers to the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.

Rt and incidence data are updated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Of the 11 reported deaths, six were registered in Lisbon and Tagus Valley, four in the North region and one in the Centre region.

In the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, 267 new infections have been reported, counting 311,729 cases and 7,135 deaths so far.

The North region has 150 new infections by SARS-CoV-2 and since the beginning of the pandemic there have been 330,823 cases of infection and 5,305 deaths.

In the Centre region, 41 more cases have been registered, accumulating 117,204 infections and 2,999 deaths.

In the Alentejo 35 more cases were reported, totalling 29,115 infections and 970 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

In the Algarve region, today's bulletin shows that 64 new cases were registered, accumulating 20,739 infections and 353 deaths.

In the Autonomous Region of Madeira, 26 new cases have been registered, accounting for 8,632 infections and 68 deaths due to Covid-19 since March 2020.

The Azores now have nine new cases and count 4,072 cases and 29 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the DGS.

Regional authorities in the Azores and Madeira release their data daily, which may not coincide with the information released in the DGS bulletin.

The cases confirmed today at national level are distributed across all age groups, with the highest number of infections registered between 20 and 59 years old.

The new coronavirus has already infected at least 372,558 men and 449,470 women in Portugal, show DGS data, according to which there are 286 cases of unknown gender, which are under investigation, since this information is not provided automatically.

Of the total number of fatalities, 8,849 were men and 8,010 women.

The highest number of deaths continues to be concentrated in the elderly over 80 years old, followed by the age group between 70 and 79 years old.

Of the total number of deaths, 11,112 were people aged over 80, 3,576 were aged between 70 and 79, and 1,502 were aged between 60 and 69.