The Chilean writer was diagnosed with the new coronavirus after being in Portugal for a week. Luís Sepúlveda is admitted to a hospital in Asturias and the Directorate-General for Health is in contact with the Spanish authorities The Covid-19 epidemic, originating in China, has already infected more than 86,000 people in 53 countries on five continents, of which nearly three thousand died. So far there have been no reports of confirmed cases in Portuguese territory.
14h37 – Working group in Póvoa de Varzim moves forward with preventive measures
In communication, the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, which organizes Correntes d’Escritas, confirmed that a follow-up group was set up, in direct contact with local, regional and national health authorities.
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However, all external communication on this subject will be dealt with directly by the General Health Directorate and the working group “will follow all recommendations that, at any given moment, the General Health Directorate recommends”.
Immediately, the working group proceeds with preventive measures, immediately with the indication that all employees or collaborators who have contacted directly “in a space of one to two meters” with the author must stay at home.
They must also “avoid social contacts and follow the procedures of the General Health Directorate, namely record the temperature twice a day”.
“All other employees / collaborators affected by the event but who did not have a more direct contact, one to two meters, with the author, must follow a self-monitoring of their health status”, adds the municipality.
13h52 – Suspicious case in Madeira turned negative
Tests in Madeira on the first suspected coronavirus case were negative. The case of the young student returning from Italy had been validated on Saturday by the health authorities.
The results of the analysis on the same patient are now awaited by the Ricardo Jorge Institute, in Lisbon.
1:50 pm – Correntes d’Escritas Organization creates “monitoring group”
The health delegate of Póvoa de Varzim met this Sunday morning with the local authority and the organization of the literary festival.
A follow-up group was created, in direct contact with local, regional and national health entities, which reports directly to DGS and from whom they await recommendations.
13h34 – DGS in contact with Spanish authorities
In a note sent to the press in the early afternoon, the Directorate-General for Health informs about the case of Covid-19 in Asturias, later confirmed that he was the writer Luís Sepúlveda, who was in Portugal between 18 and 23 February in the scope of Correntes d’Escritas festival.
“According to the information provided by the Spanish Health Authorities, the case started on symptoms on 25 February. The writer’s wife also appears to have compatible symptoms, and is under investigation. The source of the infection is also being evaluated. “, adds DGS.
The health authorities in Portugal are in contact with Spain and the Health Authority of the Northern Region “started the epidemiological investigation, that is, identifying the close contacts of the patient and the woman”.
“DGS calls for serenity and for all citizens who have been in close contact with patients, and who fit the definition, to call the SNS24 line”, he stresses.
12:40 pm – Malaysia with four new cases
Malaysia has announced four new confirmed cases of people infected with the new coronavirus, bringing the total number to 29 in that country.
According to the Malaysian Ministry of Health, all infected people are nationals of that country, one of whom recently traveled to China and the other was in Milan.
Of the 29 people infected in Malaysia, 22 have recovered and been discharged.
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12:21 pm – Death toll in Iran reaches 54
According to the Iranian Ministry of Health, the number of deaths in the country due to the new coronavirus went from 43 to 54 between Saturday and Sunday. It is the country with the highest number of fatalities after China.
In Iran, the number of infected people is now 978 people. There have been 385 new cases of infection in the past 24 hours.
11:50 am – Emmanuelle Maranhão’s statements to RTP
Adriano Maranhão’s wife told RTP that the Portuguese crew member interned in Japan was informed about the two tests that were negative.
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The tests were carried out on Wednesday and Friday. In this way, the Portuguese can begin the process to return to Portugal.
Asked if the Portuguese will be discharged soon, Emmanuelle Maranhão says that there are still no certainties.
11:45 am – Luís Sepúlveda’s wife is also infected
Contacted by RTP, Carmen Yáñez, wife of Luís Sepúlveda confirms that the first analyzes she performed indicate that she is also infected with the new coronavirus.
Both the writer and the woman are now awaiting the results of the counter-analyzes.
10h36 – Tests to Portuguese crew member Adriano Maranhão were negative
Both tests on the new coronavirus carried out on Portuguese interned in Japan were negative.
The information is confirmed by Adriano Maranhão’s wife.
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The Portuguese is a crew member of the cruise ship Diamond Princess. He has been admitted to a referral hospital in Japan since last Tuesday.–
10h14 – First case in Luxembourg
Luxembourg confirmed the first case of contagion caused by the new coronavirus in a 40-year-old man who spent a few days in Italy, revealed the country’s Ministry of Health.
9h53 – Chilean writer Luis Sepúlveda is infected
Chilean writer Luis Sepúlveda is infected with the new coronavirus and is admitted to a hospital in Asturias, Spain.
Sepúlveda visited Portugal six days ago, regarding the Correntes d’Escritas festival, in Póvoa de Varzim.
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At a press conference at the Oviedo University Hospital in Asturias, the head of the Surveillance Service, Ismael Huerta, confirmed on Sunday the existence of a positive case of Covid-19 in the region, but did not reveal the identity of the patient. Shortly after, the Spanish newspaper Voice of Asturias said it was Luis Sepúlveda.
The Chilean writer had his first symptoms on February 25, two days after leaving Portugal.
Sepúlveda and his wife are in isolation at the Hospital of Asturias. The woman has a fever, but the test results are not yet known.
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9h19 – First death in Australia
Australia this Sunday announced the first death from the new coronavirus.
The 78-year-old man was on the cruise ship placed in quarantine in Japan, a vessel where two Portuguese were also infected, who remain hospitalized.
The man died this morning in a hospital in Perth, said a spokesman for the Australian Ministry of Health.
The 79-year-old woman, also infected on board the ship, remains hospitalized in Perth.
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More than 700 cases of coronavirus have been identified among passengers and the ship’s crew.
8:20 am – Brazil confirms second positive case
Brazil confirmed on Saturday the second positive case of contagion with the new coronavirus.
This is a patient who had symptoms after returning from Italy, according to the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
The patient is 32 years old and arrived in the country on Thursday from Milan in the company of his wife, who has no health problems.
The Ministry of Health states that, despite two positive cases registered in the country, “there is no evidence of virus circulation in the national territory”.
On Wednesday, the first positive case of contagion in Brazil was confirmed: a 61-year-old man, resident in São Paulo, who traveled alone on business between February 9th and 21st to the region of Lombardy, in northern Italy .
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35 more deaths in China
Chinese authorities recorded 35 deaths in the last 24 hours caused by the Covid-19 epidemic, bringing the total number of fatalities in mainland China to 2,870.
573 new cases were also identified. The new coronavirus has already infected 79,824 people in Mainland China.
In Europe, Italy is the country hardest hit by the outbreak, with 29 dead and 1,128 infected.
First suspicious case in Madeira
The health authorities of the Autonomous Region of Madeira validated on Saturday the first suspected case of infection with the new coronavirus, indicating that it is a patient from Milan, Italy.
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The patient was hospitalized and is awaiting the results of the tests at Hospital D. Nélio Mendonça in Funchal.
The first laboratory tests will be carried out in Funchal and only then sent to the Ricardo Jorge Institute, in Lisbon.
Portugal still does not register cases of Covid-19
According to the latest newsletter from the Directorate-General for Health, Portugal did not register any cases of the new coronavirus until 6 pm this Saturday.
So far, 70 suspected cases have been recorded, of which 67 have been negative. The result of the remaining three is awaited.
It should be noted that 11 new suspected cases were recorded between Friday and Saturday.
The DGS bulletin only mentions the cases registered in the country. There are two known cases of Portuguese people infected with the new coronavirus who are hospitalized in Japan.
Although there are no cases in Portugal, DGS maintains a moderate to high risk to public health in Portugal.
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“Taking into account the global epidemiological situation, it is necessary to consider the possibility of importing cases of illness from citizens from China or other areas with active community transmission”, namely from Italy, Iran, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
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