The search for primary health care consultations and hospital emergencies for respiratory infections and flu syndrome increased last week, according to DGS.
© Shutterstock
17/10/2026
by
Lusa
A search for primary health care consultations and hospital emergencies related to respiratory infections and flu syndrome increased last week, as well as the demand for the SNS 24 Line, reveal data from the Directorate General of Health (DGS).
According to the report “Sazonal Response in Health – Surveillance and Monitoring” by DGS, the SNS 24 Line registered 73.135 visits screened in the week from 5 to 11 October, more 3.3% than in the previous week.
Care for acute respiratory problems increased 19.6% to 12.658, while fever visits increased 10.3% to 888 compared to the previous week.
Regarding the referral of users, the number of visits directed to emergency services increased, which totaled 34,364 (+4.2%), and to primary health care, with 31,749 (+3.3 %), the report published on Friday and published on the DGS website.
Self-care referrals also increased to 5.261 (+2.7%), while those destined for the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) decreased to 2.372 (-3%).
In the week under review, a decrease in the total number of medical visits in Primary Health Care of the National Health Service (554,689 visits, -19.7% compared to the previous week) and an increase in the proportion of visits due to acute respiratory infection (3.4%; +0.1 percentage point compared to the previous week).
The data also indicate a decrease in the total number of hospital emergency episodes (116.680, minus 1.5% compared to the previous week) and an increase in the proportion of emergency episodes due to acute respiratory infection, which rose to 6.4%, plus 0.2 percentage points than in the previous week.
According to the DGS, the increase in the proportion of hospital emergency episodes due to flu syndrome occurred in the age groups aged 5 to 9 years (5.2%; +1.0 p.p.) and aged 20 to 59 years (46.3%; +2.2 p.p.).
The health authority points out that “when compared to previous times, there was an earlier increase in the proportion of emergency episodes due to flu syndrome, however lower than that recorded at the time 2019-2020”.
According to the data, the proportion of episodes of hospital emergency that resulted in hospitalization decreased to 7.6%, minus 0.1 p.p., compared to the previous week. On the contrary, it increased to 3.1% the proportion of urgent episodes due to influenza syndrome that had the destination of hospitalization, plus 0.1 p,p,.
According to DGS, overall mortality was within the expected time of year in Portugal.
“From a preliminary weekly analysis of causes of death by large groups of causes, week 41 of 2026 showed an increasing trend of proportional mortality from respiratory system diseases (10.3%) compared to the previous two weeks. There are no changes in the pattern of mortality in the remaining large groups of causes of death”, says the document.
The report also indicates that vaccination coverage against covid-19 and influenza in age groups aged 60 or over corresponded to about 7% and 9%, respectively.
Under the National Influenza Surveillance Program, sporadic flu activity was reported and the reporting of cases of SARS-COV-2 infection decreased.