The region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley has the highest number of deaths (142) and new cases (8,621).

The epidemiological bulletin also reveals that the number of hospitalised patients has dropped slightly. Today, 6,565 people are hospitalised, 38 less than on Wednesday, of which 782 are in intensive care units (one less in the last 24 hours).

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Portugal has recorded a total of 11,608 deaths associated with covid-19 and 685,383 cases of infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with 180,076 cases being active today, 7,183 more than on Wednesday.

The bulletin also records that a further 8,946 people were reported as recovered, bringing the number of recovered to 493,699 since the beginning of the pandemic in Portugal.

Health authorities have 223,150 contacts under surveillance, 2,894 more than in the previous day.

Regarding the 303 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, 142 occurred in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, 66 in the Centro region, 60 in the North region, 23 in the Alentejo, 10 in the Algarve region and two in the Autonomous region of Madeira.

In the region of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, 8,621 new infections were reported, the highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic, accounting for 244,119 cases and 4,409 deaths so far.

The North region recorded 4,057 new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the last 24 hours and since the beginning of the pandemic it has already counted 297,228 cases of infection and 4,318 deaths.

In the Centre region, 2,736 more cases were recorded, with a total of 96,809 infections and 2,008 deaths.

In the Alentejo, 529 more cases were reported, totalling 23,737 infections and 620 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in Portugal.

The Algarve region has now reported 327 new cases, totalling 16,356 infections and 193 deaths.

Madeira registered 95 new cases. This autonomous region accounts for 3,758 infections and 36 deaths due to covid-19.

In the Autonomous Region of the Azores, 67 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours, totalling 3,376 infections and 24 deaths.

Confirmed cases are distributed across all age groups, with the highest number of infections between 20 and 59 years of age.

Of the total number of fatalities, 6,061 were men and 5,547 were women.

The largest 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 11,608 deaths, 7,809 were people over 80 years old, 2,393 were aged between 70 and 79 years old and 972 were between 60 and 69 years old.