As in other European Countries, Portugal has activated all the mechanisms put in place to respond to situations of this type. The services of the Ministry of Health are in permanent contact with the international authorities to ensure that concerted measures will be taken.
The public health authorities predicted that cases of secondary transmission would appear and that the number of cases coming in from abroad would increase due to the natural evolution of the epidemic. There is, therefore, no reason for alarm, but rather for increased caution. We recommend that the entire community works together to adopt measures to prevent transmission of the virus.
If you have flu symptoms (fever, cough, muscle aches, shortness of breath and sometimes diarrhoea or vomiting), avoid contact with other people and immediately ring our Health Line on 808 24 24 24. To ensure we all remain protected, please follow the instructions you are given.
Click here for a leaflet containing travel information and advice regarding the new flu virus strain (Portuguese, English, French and Spanish):
http://www.visitportugal.com/NR/exeres/10CF69AE-19D2-4673-BCAC-3BDE5F41F308,frameless.htm
For more information, consult the following websites:
- Direcção-Geral da Saúde (Portuguese Directorate-General of Health) - http://www.dgs.pt
- World Health Organization - http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en
- European Commission - http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/Influenza/novelflu_en.htm ; http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/