Different mortality in Spain and Portugal explained

Business Insider has named the reasons for which have a common border of Spain and Portugal to significantly different mortality rate from coronavirus.

The author has named Portugal one of the most forward thinking countries in terms of responses to the epidemic. So, the country introduced strict quarantine on 13 February, when there were about one hundred cases of infection with coronavirus. At the same time, Spain had resorted to similar measures on the 14th, when the whole country was more than six thousand cases COVID-19.

Another factor that contributed to the situation in Portugal, was its geographical position. The country has only one neighboring country — Spain, so Lisbon was able to quickly take control of border crossing.

An important reason for a more prosperous situation in Portugal, the author of the material called the politics of health facilities: only hospitalized seriously ill, most patients are sent home. This made it possible not to overload the healthcare system.

In addition, according to the author of the article, cooperation between politicians and doctors in Portugal has enabled a more effective response to the epidemic.

Pandemic coronavirus covered almost the whole world. Currently, according to who, infection the infected of over 2.5 million, 175 thousand of which were killed and about 700 thousand were cured. The greatest number of infected and victims recorded in USA, Spain, Italy and several European countries.

Currently, in Portugal, there have been about 20 thousand cases of infection with coronavirus, which is ten times less than in neighbouring Spain. In addition, the last one died more than 21 thousand patients, in Portugal — at least eight.