Lisbon, Apr 4 (IANS): Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that respecting restrictions during Easter and throughout April will be "crucial" so that "there is not a fourth wave of Covid-19 in the country".

While visiting a nursing home in Lisbon on Saturday, the President appealed to the citizens to "do everything in their power" on Easter Sunday to stop the transmission of the pandemic and reduce the "number of patients in intensive care", reports Xinhua news agency.

"We all hope that there will be no setbacks if the reopening is done with attention to care, at a time when vaccination will see a decisive leap in April to maintain control of the pandemic before summer," he said.

"The sooner the pandemic disappears, the less the economic and social crisis will be," the President added.

Portugal recorded seven deaths and 280 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the toll and caseload in the country to 16,875 and 823,142, respectively.

According to data from the Directorate-General for Health, more than 1.19 million people have already received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 494,521 immunized with both doses.