According to Lusa News Agency at the end of Friday morning, the Lisbon Central University Hospital Center (CHULC), which includes the S. José, Curry Cabral, D. Estefânia, Capuchos, Santa Marta and Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospitals, had 29 patients with covid-19 hospitalised in the wards and nine in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), totalling 38.

“The previous plan remains active. In this way, the wards will be prepared and activated as needed”, said the CHULC in a response sent to Lusa.

About a month ago, this hospital centre had 15 patients admitted to the ward and three to the ICU, he added, recalling that the day that registered the most admissions was 7 February, with 291 patients in the ward and 55 in care intensive.

At Hospital Santa Maria, 28 patients are hospitalised, eight of which are in intensive care, said a source from the University Hospital Center Lisboa Norte (CHULN), which also includes Hospital Pulido Valente.

"The average age of patients is at this time of 55 years, when in February it was 71", added the same source, specifying that 33 percent of hospitalised patients are over 60 years old, whereas in February they represented more than 81 percent of hospitalised patients.

According to the CHULN source, hospitalised patients are not yet vaccinated against covid-19.

“There has been a gradual increase in the last two weeks, reflecting the greater level of contagion in the Lisbon region, but without need for alarm”, he stressed.

The same source also said that CHULN is prepared to open another ward as soon as necessary.