The new coronavirus variant Omicron has been detected for the first time in Portugal, with 13 players and officials of first division football team Belenenses infected, the secretary general of the country's health authority said on Monday.
Those affected had been isolated and were not seriously ill, Graca Freitas stressed.
On Saturday. the side ended up with just six players against Lisbon city rivals Benfica because of Covid-19. The match was abandoned in the 48th minute with Benfica leading 7-0.
The players and many pundits have questioned why the match was not postponed.
Freitas rejected any responsibility on the part of the health authority in authorizing the match. She said both teams should be tested.
She called on citizens to be wary and said the pandemic is not over, despite the high vaccination rate in Portugal.
