SESARAM admits community transmission soon in Madeira

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

The clinical director of SESARAM Júlio Nóbrega recently admitted, in declarations to RTP Madeira, that there may soon be community transmission in Madeira.

“What is expected – and I cannot say whether in two or three weeks – is that active community transmission may occur, that is, cases of local people who have the infection and that we have not been able to identify the source”, acknowledged the official.

From Agora Madeira

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Tobi Hughes

18 Responses

  5. Tourists have not brought the infection. They are rigorously controlled on arrival. Its locals and residents returning who are allowed to return home and self isolate. Which is what they do not do in many cases.

    1. No, you are not right, it were and are both the foreign tourists and the Madeirans whom are living and working abroad, coming for a vacacion on the island that brought the virus back to the island.
      But what does it matter if it were foreign tourists from all over the world or “Madeiran tourists” that brought the virus back. Fact is that visitors brought the virus and that the island is probably due for disaster after the holiday season.

      1. I always find confort in your posts Lois. We are all going to die, that is what you have been saying since the 1st case was detected in March.

        1. We’ll die one way or another Antonio but hopefully some day, far away and from old age instead of Covid

  6. My friend who lives on the island told me that while he was out briefly yesterday in Machico for essential supplies. He was the only person outside wearing a mask. I understand this is a requirement just now. There was a policeman mooching about not challenging anyone.
    He informs me that compliance is better in Funchal.

  7. The precautions chosen by Madeira at the start were probably correct, but the downside was a lack of herd immunity in the local population, so this was predictable.
    We have a holiday planned in Madeira in March and we will see nearer the time if its going to be possible.
    It would be really useful to know what the ‘R’ number and rate per 100 thousand per is in Madeira, as these are measures we get in UK and if these were cregularly published, perhaps on your blog, then many potential tourists could do a comparison with their home country to help them decide on the risks and relative safety of their next visit.

  8. There are 2 issues . Yes, visitors can have a test prior to departure . However , they may test negative at that point and subsequently be positive a few days later. The incubation period is not known.
    The second issue is community transmission . I was talking to my friend a couple of days ago . She is a local doctor and specialist . She confirmed that many local people are not taking adequate measures to stop the spread.

  9. Ivwished one should stop pointing fingers to other people, it’s often “they do or don’t do this, no it’s not the tourists, no it’s not the Brits no it’s not this no it’s that” everybody believes to know something or to know better.

    TAKE responsability and get your priorities right!

    Yes it’s very bad and very sad for the economy what’s going on right now both here on Madeira and in the rest of the world but…,
    if and when this becomes a big outbreak here on our island after the holiday season it will even be worse.

    When our people can’t get proper care, can’t run their bussinesses, their children can’t go to school, some people might die, the few hospital beds are full and the small amount of doctors and nurses we have will be exausted, then the little economy that’s we still have going will also collapse and things will be much worse.

  10. So Lois , what is your master plan ?
    The virus is here . All we can do is be careful . Do you believe the Island should be cut off from the rest of the world? I genuinely want to know how you think the authorities could do more .

    1. Dear Jane, I don’t get why you have to react so sarcastically.
      Just like everybody else, including the authorities I don’t have a master-plan!

      I am just saying that people should stop pointing fingers at others,
      I have only stated some facts and am saying that people have to “take their responsibilities
      and get their priorities right”.

      You can take that any which way you want.

  11. Lois, already people can’t run their businesses or have difficulty in getting medical care, children didn’t go to school earlier in the year because of the lock downs and restrictions and at a time when the island had practically zero cases. A natural wave of a virus among a community is so obviously going to happen, (wherever it comes from) one simply can’t stamp it out (as all those lock downs have proved, it can’t). Blaming people who do not appear to be adhering to the ‘rules’…what have we now become..a nark society that becomes a spoken vigilante to smash anyone who in your own opinion isn’t behaving properly? Who says the hospitals will be over run, when they are certainly not in the UK despite what the media insisting they are and continuing to pump out scary headlines, keeping the fear fixed so that you worry about catching it, turning into a breathless zombie and will most certainly die. A massive majority of people catch it with very little problem (figures quoted 99.8% recovery rate). We have been exposed to this information for months now, so instead of just adding to the doom and gloom here, why not look at your own family, discuss what needs to be done to keep them from catching it, if you have elderly relatives, work a plan on how to shield them. If it means you stay in doors, then stay indoors! It’s about time, we all had the freedom to take responsibility for our own selves and make our own choices about our own bodies…and for starters look at your own immune health, taking care of that will naturally give you a better chance of not catching it, or having mild symptoms.

  13. I can assure you Lois , I wasn’t being sarcastic . I genuinely wanted to know what you would have done differently than the Government .
    As Antonio said you have been doom riden since March .
    Every country is doing their best with a pandemic no one ever expected.
    I really don’t understand what you want to happen .

    1. I really believe Madeira has done most things right. Here in the UK times for business are tough but at least we do not depend on one factor, tourism. If the future looks bleak in the UK, without tourism how will Madeira manage. Your biggest hotel group, 11 out of 13 hotels closed. You have to keep your doors open.

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