Portugal imposes night curfew to limit spread of COVID-19

World

Published: 2021-07-03 10:02

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 17:06


Credit: AFP
Credit: AFP

A night-time curfew has been imposed in several Portuguese municipalities Friday, including the capital Lisbon and the city of Porto. 

This came in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

Nearly four million people living in 45 municipalities including Lisbon and the Algarve, as well as major northern cities such as Porto and Braga, will not be allowed to leave their homes between 11pm and 5am under the new rules.

The move marks a reversal from the gradual reopening that Portugal had embarked upon in mid-March after suffering a severe wave of infections at the beginning of the year.

"The situation isn't comparable to the more difficult moments our country has faced during the past year and a half, but it's deteriorating," said government spokeswoman Mariana Vieira da Silva, announcing the measures on Thursday.

In areas designated "high risk" or "very high risk," restaurants, cafes, businesses and cultural venues must cut back their opening hours and the number of visitors and clients.

Weekend travel between Lisbon and the rest of the country has already been banned for the past two weeks as authorities ramp up testing and vaccinations.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Portugal has confirmed 884,442 cases and 17,108 deaths.