Portugal says Omicron dominant, infections rising

Children accompanied by their parents wait in line as they arrive to receive a dose of Covid-19 vaccine, outside of the vaccination centre of Parque das Nacoes in Lisbon on December 18, 2021, as Portugal started the vaccination of children from ages 5-11. – Europe stepped up vaccinations of children aged five to 11 against Covid-19, as the EU’s health agency warned that immunisation alone would not stop the rapid rise of the Omicron variant of the virus. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

Omicron has become the dominant strain of coronavirus in Portugal where more than 10,000 daily Covid-19 cases had been registered Saturday, the national health agency said.

Portugal, one of the countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates worldwide, has begun inoculating children over five years old.

“The Omicron variant is already dominant in Portugal, accounting for 61.5 percent of cases on December 22,” the General Directorate of Health said.

On Saturday, Portugal recorded 10 deaths and 10,016 cases, slightly fewer than Friday when 11 deaths and 12,943 cases were reported.

Portugal has made working from home compulsory, closed bars and discos, and made face masks mandatory indoors.

Travellers entering the country have to provide a negative PCR test within three days even if they are vaccinated.

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