Sharjah24 – AFP: Portugal fears a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic may take hold with the highly contagious Delta variant now accounting for more than 60 percent of new cases in the capital.
Lisbon is among a dozen places that did not move into the final phase of easing the lockdown that much of the country has enjoyed.
Travel between the capital region and the rest of Portugal was banned from last weekend to try to halt the spread of the infection.
First identified in India, the Delta variant has become the predominant strain in the greater Lisbon area, according to the national health institute INSA.
"We are trying to delay its arrival in other regions of the country so that people can protect themselves more through vaccination," Health Minister Marta Temido said Monday.
More restrictions may be necessary, she added, at a time when many European countries are easing such curbs for summer.
"We have to assess it as we go along and we are asking for everyone's support, to avoid as much as possible measures which carry heavy social and economic consequences."
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