Álvaro Almeida says the SNS Executive Directorate monitors the data daily and that the essential task is to establish the causes of the excess mortality. More detailed analyses, he adds, will only be carried out once winter is over. For now, he urges caution.
"It happens often": SNS executive plays down excess mortality persisting for a month
Monday, 12 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Excess mortality is the number of deaths above what would be expected based on historical averages (commonly a multi‑year baseline), and it captures deaths directly and indirectly caused by events like epidemics, heatwaves or healthcare disruptions. Portugal’s public health institute INSA (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge) monitors excess mortality to see the broader impact of seasonal illnesses and other stresses on the health system, so a drop in flu cases does not automatically mean overall mortality has returned to normal. Those following public‑health trends should note excess‑mortality figures because they show the pandemic and other factors’ continuing effect on population health.
ULS Alto Ave is the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave), a public body that runs hospitals and some primary-care services for the Ave area in northern Portugal. It is part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), and recent staff strikes have affected overtime and complementary work, so residents should check local hospital notices before visiting.
The ULS of the West is the Western Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Oeste), a regional public health body that runs hospitals and primary-care services in the Oeste (West) area as part of the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde). It uses real-time pharmacy data on flu symptoms to adjust emergency teams and resources during outbreaks or other health pressures.
An Unidade de Saúde Familiar (family health unit) is a multidisciplinary primary-care clinic within Portugal's National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) where GPs, nurses and other staff keep registered patient lists and provide routine care, appointments and specialist referrals. For residents and expats, being registered with a family health unit gives you a regular GP, easier access to prescriptions and referrals, and a clear route into the public health system.
Family medicine (Medicina Geral e Familiar) is the medical specialty that provides continuous primary care through family doctors who manage common illnesses, chronic diseases and preventive care. In Portugal these specialists are the backbone of the SNS (Serviço Nacional de Saúde); the story notes 57 doctors finished the specialty and 38 stayed in the NHS, giving family doctors to about 77,500 patients.
