The Regional Health Authority reports that two positive cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the Region, following 926 tests conducted by the two laboratories of reference in the Azores in the last 24 hours.

The case diagnosed on the island of São Miguel corresponds to a 26-year-old female who was identified as a close contact to the positive case detected on the island of Flores and, for that reason, was in quarantine for a period of 14 days.

The screening tests performed on arrival and on the 6th day produced a negative result and only the test carried out at the end of the 14-day quarantine period was positive.

The case identified on the island of Terceira concerns a 65-year-old male, resident in the Azores, who arrived in the Region on July 14 via a flight from Mainland Portugal and has been since then in confinement. The first test carried out on arrival produced an inconclusive result, having then repeated the test with a positive result.

Both individuals are clinically stable. The procedures defined for confirmed case as well as testing and surveillance of close contacts have already been carried out by the Municipal Health Delegations.

With the most recent cases, 159 cases of infection with the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, have already been detected in the Region, with seven active positive cases: five on the island of São Miguel and one on Flores island.

Pandemic prevention and containment measures should be maintained and reinforced, whenever possible, by citizens, private and social organisations, and by the social sector.

The Regional Health Authority reiterates the need to comply with all recommendations already made public in this regard, especially that, in case of symptoms, patients should not seek a Hospital or Health Unit, but rather call the Azores Health Line - 808 24 60 24.

For more information, please consult the Regional Government's website dedicated to this pandemic at http://covid19.azores.gov.pt or the Regional Directorate for Health Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DirecaoSaudeAcores/.

The Regional Government also provides the Azores Non-Medical COVID-19 Information Line -800 29 29 29 -, which operates from 8 am to 8 pm on working days, and the RIAC Line - 800 500 501 -, which is available from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 10.30 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 10.30 pm.

The email address [email protected] is also available for clarification on the measures adopted in the Region to face the novel coronavirus pandemic.