An average of 564.4 people per day tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium during the past week, a slight drop compared to yesterday’s figure, according to figures by Sciensano on Sunday.
The figure refers to the period from 30 July to 5 August and represents a 19% increase over the week.
At the same time, the number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants, measured over the past two weeks from 23 July to 5 August, was 63.3, compared to the 62.3 per 100,000 reported on Saturday.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 73,401 – 617 more than yesterday. 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 from the consequences of the virus.
The increased average takes account of very high figures for 3 and 4 August of 767 and 763 respectively, the highest daily figures since April.
From 30 July to 5 August inclusive, the authorities recorded an average of 23.3 new hospital admissions per day, a fall of 7% over the week.
While 30 new patients were admitted to hospital yesterday, 38 were discharged. In total, 281 patients were in hospital yesterday, five fewer than the day before, while 69 patients were in intensive care, according to Sciensano’s dashboard. That figure is unchanged since yesterday, and 36 of them are on a respirator – one fewer than the day before.
An average number of 3.4 deaths occurred per day over the period, an increase of 33% over the week before, and a delayed consequence of the increase over past weeks of confirmed infections and hospital admissions. The total number of deaths in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 9,870 – four more than yesterday.
Meanwhile, 2% of tourists returning to Belgium from a designated red zone turn out to be infected with the coronavirus, said Steven Van Gucht, spokesperson for the government crisis centre.
1,200 people were tested on their return from a red zone – calculated to be one where the incidence of infection (the number of cases per 100,000 population) is higher than 100. Of those, 22 were infected.
“That’s not a lot, but it’s not nothing at all,” Van Gucht said.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
