Portugal limits travel, seeks European help for COVID

OVIEDO, Spain

As Portugal deals with one of the world’s most devastating spikes of COVID-19, it severely limited travel for its residents on Monday.

Portugal erected border controls with neighboring Spain, while limiting flights and maritime travel, as residents are no longer allowed to leave the country for non-essential purposes.

The move came as Portugal has been grappling with the world’s highest coronavirus infection rate per capita over the past week.

Though infections appear to be slowing down -- on Monday, the Health Ministry reported another 5,805 infections, down by more than 1,000 compared to the previous Monday -- hospitalizations have reached record heights.

Portugal has been under lockdown since Jan. 15.

Hospitals, particularly in the Lisbon area, have been stretched beyond their limit for the last two weeks. Ambulances can be seen waiting outside for hours to drop off new patients, but many have no room.

To help cope with the situation, Portugal has been seeking international help.

On Sunday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz announced on Twitter that his nation will accept patients in critical condition from Portugal.

The details of patient transfers have yet to be made public, but Kurtz said: “European solidarity is needed to help save human lives quickly and without bureaucracy.”

Germany is also set to send military assistance in the form of medical teams and equipment to Portugal.

German daily Der Spiegel has reported that Germany’s armed forces plan on sending 27 doctors and paramedics to Portugal, along with ventilators and hospital beds.

On Monday, the news agency Lusa quoted Portuguese Ambassador to Spain Joao Mira Gomes as saying Spain has also agreed to send help.

Portugal reported another 275 coronavirus-related fatalities on Monday, bringing the country’s pandemic death toll to 12,757.