Belgium has now reached an average of 20 coronavirus deaths per day, as daily infection figures continue to climb across the country, according to Sciensano’s latest figures on Thursday.
Between 5 and 11 October, an average of 5,421 new people tested positive per day, which is an increase of 101% compared to the week before. On Friday, almost 7,500 people tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day.
A total of 37,947 new cases was recorded during the week from 4 to 11 October, a little more than double the number of the week before, when 18,863 new cases were confirmed.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 181,511. The total reflects all people in Belgium who have been infected, and includes confirmed active cases as well as patients who have since recovered, or died as a result of the virus.
From 8 to 14 October, an average number of 20 deaths occurred per day, up from the average of 16 the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 10,278 – 34 more than yesterday.
Additionally, 169.7 new hospitalisations per day were recorded on average between 8 and 14 October, up from 130.2 per day the week before.
In total, 1,777 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, which is 156 more than yesterday. Of those patients, 313 are in intensive care, 32 more than yesterday. Patients on a ventilator number 160 – 18 more than yesterday.
Over the past two weeks, 494.3 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 166% compared to the two weeks before.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of over 3.8 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, about 44,000 were taken over the past week, with a positivity rate of 11.9%.
The percentage went up from 10.1% last week, meaning that even though more tests are being carried out – which naturally results in more confirmed infections – the epidemic is still growing.
Belgium’s reproduction number (Rt) is currently 1.49, according to Sciensano’s figures. This means that, across the country, one infected person infects more than one other person on average.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
