LIsbon, Aug 21 (IANS): The Portuguese government has announced that the country will move from the "state of calamity", its highest response to a national emergency, to the "state of contingency" beginning on August 23.

At a press conference, Minister of State for the Presidency Mariana Vieira da Silva highlighted the positive development in the control of the Covid-19 pandemic and announced that the Council of Ministers decided to anticipate the easing of the lockdown measures to reopen the country, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Starting from August 23, stores, restaurants and the like can double the number of people gathered inside, and open until 2 a.m.

Cultural shows and religious ceremonies, including weddings, can increase their capacity to 75 per cent, while no capacity limits will be imposed on public transport.

The contingency state is an intermediate level of the Portuguese Civil Protection Law and allows more freedom and fewer restrictions.

According to the health authorities, since March 2020, Portugal has recorded 1,014,632 cases with 17,622 deaths.

"Deaths remain stable and with a downward trend," the Minister added.