A total of 1,105 Covid-19 patients are currently in Belgian intensive care units, according to Sciensano’s latest figures on Saturday.
There are 48 more patients in the intensive care unit than yesterday. Of the 6,438 patients in hospital, 599 – 42 more than yesterday – are on a ventilator.
An average of 636.4 patients were admitted to hospital between 23 and 30 October, which is a 59% increase compared to the week before, and passes the peak of 561.7 daily hospitalisations in April.
Additionally, between 21 and 27 October, an average of 15,847.1 new people tested positive per day, which is an increase of 31% compared to the week before. On Tuesday 27 October, the number of people testing positive rose to 21,448 new infections.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 412,314. 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, 1,701.2 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 163% compared to the two weeks before.
From 21 to 27 October, an average number of 90.9 deaths occurred per day, up by 53% compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 11,452.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of over 4.9 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, 64,700 were taken over the past week, with a positivity rate of 26.9%. This means that over a quarter of the people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage is an 8.5% increase compared last week, meaning that even though more tests are being carried out – which naturally results in more confirmed infections – the epidemic is still growing.
Since 21 October, only people with coronavirus symptoms are being tested. That means that some new infections, which used to be detected, are missing in the statistics, Sciensano said. The public health institute will use statistical models to calculate those infections that are not registered under the new testing strategy, Het Laatste Nieuws reports.
The Brussels Times
