More than 2,300 new people per day tested positive for Covid-19 in Belgium over the past week, according to Tuesday’s figures by the Sciensano public health institute.
Over the 7-day period from 26 September to 2 October, an average of 2,309 new people tested positive, which is an increase of 48%, meaning the number of new infections is rising rapidly again.
In addition, an average of 81 people per day were hospitalised between 26 September and 2 October, a 25.7% increase.
In total, 937 patients are currently in hospital, which is 71 more than yesterday. Of these patients, 195 are in intensive care, or nine more than yesterday.
Over the past two weeks, 235.9 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a rise of 76% compared to the two weeks before.
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Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 3,426,621 tests were carried out. Of those tests, over 36,800 tests on average were carried out daily over the last week, with a positivity rate of 7.3%.
This percentage represents an increase of 2.1% compared to the week before, meaning that even though more tests are being carried out – which naturally results in more confirmed infections – the epidemic is still growing.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 132,203. 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 week from 26 September to 2 October, an average of 10.3 deaths occurred per day, which is a 5.7% increase compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 10,078, or 14 more than yesterday.
Belgium’s reproduction number (Rt) is currently 1.19, according to Sciensano’s figures, meaning that one infected person infects more than one other person on average and that the pandemic is still growing.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
