Health
Early flu surge strains hospitals and emergency services in Portugal
An early and intense flu season has overwhelmed emergency rooms and helplines across Portugal, with hospitals activating contingency plans and health authorities urging vaccination.
An early flu surge driven by a new H3N2-K strain has significantly increased demand on Portugal's health system, with emergency rooms reporting double-digit growth in walk‑ins for flu‑like syndrome and hospital wards nearing 80% occupancy nationwide. Major hospitals in Lisbon, Vila Franca de Xira and Amadora/Sintra have converted surgical beds into medical wards and postponed non‑urgent surgeries to free capacity, while the SNS 24 hotline has recorded record call volumes and INEM emergency calls exceeding 5,200 per day. Authorities warn that peak demand may coincide with peak holiday travel and are urging the public to vaccinate, use telehealth and primary care first, and maintain hygiene measures to reduce transmission and preserve emergency capacity.
- Status
- active
- Location
- Portugal
- Date added
- 2026-04-02 09:18 UTC
- Added by
- nikieuropeapdrmis
- Last updated
- 2026-04-02 09:18 UTC
- Source
- https://www.dn.pt
- Connected threats
-
- Not Available