Health/Medicine
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Portuguese Finance Minister tests Covid-19 positive
Lisbon, Jan 17 (IANS) Portuguese Minister of State for Finance Joao Leao has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his Ministry announced in a statement.
The Minister "is in isolation at home, has so far not shown any symptoms and is working", Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying on Saturday.
On Saturday, Portugal recorded 166 new coronavirus deaths and 10,947 fresh cases, two new daily records, according to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
The DGS epidemiological bulletin also indicates that 4,653 people are hospitalized, 93 more than on Friday.
A total of 638 patients are in intensive care, 16 more than on Friday.
Both figures are also new highs.
Since the pandemic broke out in the country in March 2020, Portugal has registered 8,709 deaths and 539,416 infections, with 128,165 cases now active.
Portugal entered a new two-week nationwide lockdown since Friday in a bid to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Petrol, diesel prices steady even as crude boils
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Oil marketing companies have spared consumers of yet another petrol and diesel price hike even though the global oil market is on the boil with crude reaching within touching distance of year-high-level of $70 a barrel.
Petrol continues to be priced at Rs 91.17 a litre and diesel Rs 81.47 a litre in the capital on Saturday. Across the country too, the petrol and diesel price remained unchanged.
This is seventh consecutive day when pump prices of auto fuels have remains unchanged.
After a spike in global oil prices seen over last two weeks with crude price jumping close to $67 a barrel, prices had fallen to around $63 a barrel but it rose again to cross $69 a barrel mark now after after the OPEC+ decision to continue with crude production cut in April.
Petrol and diesel prices have been rising continuously since February 9. In the 14 increases since then, price have gone up by Rs 4.22 per litre for petrol while diesel rate has risen by Rs 4.34 a litre in Delhi.
The increase in the previous weeks has taken petrol to cross historic high levels of Rs 100 a litre in several cities across the country.
The petrol and diesel prices have increased 26 times in 2021 with the two auto fuels increasing by Rs 7.46 and Rs 7.60 per litre, respectively so far this year.
Oil companies executives said that petrol and diesel prices may increase further in coming days as retail prices may have to be balanced in line with global developments to prevent OMCs from making loss on sale of auto fuels.
--IANS
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