Coronavirus: fewer than 2,500 patients in hospital

Fewer than 2,500 coronavirus patients in Belgium are in hospital as the increase of daily average new coronavirus infections continues to slow down, according to the latest figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Thursday.

Between 14 and 20 December, an average of 2,522 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 6% increase compared to the week before.

The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 632,321. 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.

Over the past two weeks, 299.1 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 9% increase compared to the two weeks before.

Between 17 and 23 December, an average of 180.4 patients was admitted to hospital, which is 2% fewer than the week before.

In total, 2,473 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 87 fewer than yesterday. Of all patients, 511 are in intensive care, which is 28 fewer than yesterday. A total of 300 patients are on a ventilator – 22 fewer than yesterday.

From 14 to 20 December, an average number of 91.7 deaths occurred per day, marking a 3.3% decrease compared to the week before.

The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 18,939.

Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 6,708,083 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 38,663.3 were taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 7.6%. That means that around one in thirteen people who get tested receive a positive result.

The percentage went down by 0.6% compared to last week, along with a 16% increase in testing.

The reproduction rate, finally, is now 0.98, which means that a person infected with coronavirus infects just under one other person on average.

Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times

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