The rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases has slowed down slightly, however, the number of people ending up in hospital after becoming infected continues to increase quickly.
Between 15 and 21 July, there was an average of 26.8 new hospital admissions per day due to the coronavirus, a 57% increase compared to the previous reference period, of which most people are unvaccinated.
Although the data on the number of admissions, the number of people in intensive care and on a ventilator were not yet updated on the Sciensano dashboard, they were slowly increasing in the previous days as well. The figures will be added once they become available.
“We mainly see an increase in Brussels, which may have something to do with various things. A lower vaccination rate, more contacts between people, but also admissions of patients from the surrounding provinces,” virologist Steven Van Gucht said during a recent crisis centre press conference.
Between 12 and 18 July, an average of 1,351.6 new coronavirus infections were detected per day, a 27% increase from the average of the previous week, according to the latest figures from Sciensano Health Institute published on Thursday morning.
Although there is still an increase in the number of people testing positive, this figure is going up less quickly than in the previous two weeks.
The daily average of testing over the past week increased by 18% (a daily average of 71,766.1 tests were carried out), whilst the positivity rate has increased to 2.1%, the highest it has been in months, meaning a certain link can be made again between an increase in testing and cases.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,108,675 cases of coronavirus infection have been diagnosed in Belgium.
During the same period, the average number of daily deaths due to the virus lies at 1.1 after dropping below 1 yesterday, however, no one died on Wednesday due to the virus, meaning the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic in Belgium still lies at 25,213.
The incidence, which indicates the average number of new cases per day per 100,000 inhabitants, is continuing to increase rapidly and has now risen by 161% since the last 14-day period, sitting at 147.4.
The reproduction rate of the coronavirus has also not been updated on the coronavirus dashboard.
As of Tuesday, 82.6% of the adult population in Belgium had received the first injection of a coronavirus vaccine. This figure equates to just over 7.8 million people.
Of these, almost 5.7 million people (61.7% of the adult population in Belgium) have received a second dose and are now considered fully protected.
The Brussels Times
