LISBON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese government decided on Tuesday to extend the "state of alert" due to the COVID-19 pandemic until April 22.

       According to a statement of the Council of Ministers released Tuesday, the resolution "maintains the measures currently in force unchanged", including the mandatory use of masks in public indoor spaces, health services, and transport.

       For those who do not have the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the negative test for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus remains mandatory in visits to nursing homes and health facilities.

       The alert situation is the lowest level of response to disaster situations provided for in the Civil Protection Basic Law, and its validity will end on April 18.

       Positive cases and hospitalizations are decreasing in Portugal, but mortality from COVID-19 "maintains a growing trend", according to the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health.

       For every one million inhabitants, 29 people died in the last 14 days, considering that the "red line" stipulated by Portugal is 20 deaths per million inhabitants.