An average of 978.3 people per day tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium during the past week, according to the latest figures by Sciensano on Friday.
The trend of new infections per day increased by 74% over the 7-day period from 8 to 14 September, meaning that the rise is accelerating.
The peak this past week was reached on Monday 14 September, when there were 1,625 positive tests recorded. On that day, 28,547 tests were carried out.
The following day, 38,370 tests were carried out, the highest daily number since the start of the pandemic, of which 898 were positive. So the number of positive results does not necessarily follow the number of tests carried out.
According to figures on Sciensano's dashboard, 31,100 tests were carried out on average per day over the last week. Since the start of the pandemic, a total of about 2.8 million tests have been carried out.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 97,976. 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.
In total, 371 patients are currently in hospital, which is 18 or 5% more than yesterday. Of those patients, 69 are in intensive care, five fewer than yesterday. Patients on a ventilator number 39, the same number as the day before.
An average number of 2.7 deaths occurred per day over the past week. The total number of deaths in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 9,936 – one more than was reported yesterday.
Belgium’s reproduction number (Rt) is currently 1.4, according to Sciensano’s figures. This means that, across the country, one infected person infects more than one other person on average, and that the epidemic is growing.
The Brussels Times
