Portugal reinstates nightly curfew as COVID-19 cases increase

Starting tonight, July 2, Portugal will implement a nightly curfew in response to a surprising spike in coronavirus cases attributed to the highly contagious Delta variant.

The new stringent regulations will be in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily until further notice in 45 municipalities, including Lisbon, the scenic city of Porto, and Albufeira in the southern Algarve region, which is favored by British tourists for its sunny weather and stunning beaches. In major cities, vehicles will also be prohibited from public roads during these hours.

Lisbon has already been under lockdown for the past two weeks due to a recent rise in cases.

Under the new restrictions, cafes and restaurants in Lisbon and about 18 other towns must close by 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and by 3:30 p.m. on weekends. Given Portugal's warm climate and outdoor lifestyle, these measures will impact the country's renowned late-night dining and social scene.

Minister of the Premiership, Mariana Vieira da Silva, has acknowledged that the pandemic is not "under control" in Portugal, following Wednesday's highest daily count of new infections since February 2021. However, daily fatalities remain low.

Since June 15, Portugal has permitted nonessential travel, including tourism, from the U.S., provided travelers present a negative COVID-19 test.

The vaccination campaign in the country has made significant progress, with 55% of the population having received their first dose and 33% fully vaccinated. Most new infections are occurring among unvaccinated young adults, prompting Portugal to accelerate vaccination efforts for this group.

The pandemic has severely impacted Portugal's crucial tourism sector, despite the UK temporarily placing the country on its coveted green list for quarantine-free travel before removing it just three weeks later.