Counting the daily numbers of the DGS, in the last twenty days - since the use of a mask was no longer mandatory and until Wednesday -, there were 248,603 new infections, which represents an increase of 43.5% compared to 173,183 cases notified in the same number of days before, that is, between April 2nd and 21st.

Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) mathematician Henrique Oliveira told Lusa that these data demonstrate a recent “drastic acceleration” in the number of cases, adding that the “five-day window” between May 7th and 11th totals around 90,000 infections, almost double the approximately 49 thousand registered in the period between 17 and 21 April, even before the elimination of the use of mask.

The number of cases has registered a significant increase in the last three days, passing the barrier of 20,000 daily, with 20,486 on Monday, 24,572 on Tuesday and 24,866 on Wednesday.

The same data also indicate that, since the mandatory use of the mask was lifted, 390 people have died in Portugal, which gives an average of 19.5 daily deaths from Covid-19 in the last twenty days.