Portugal's government approves extension of state of emergency

Portugal's lawmakers approved a request from the country's president on Thursday to extend the national state of emergency for another two weeks.

The special limits on movement and the closure of non-essential services will remain in place until May 2 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Portuguese President, announced the extension during a national address to the nation late on Thursday.

He said April is still the crucial month to guarantee that the outbreak is under control so that May can bring some hope and confidence for the future.

He said: "It is true that we have already won a lot, but we are still missing, probably the hardest part, as people say, we do not want to fall short."

Portugal has almost 19,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 629 deaths, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.