The number of hospitalised coronavirus patients is increasing again, and other coronavirus indicators are dropping more slowly, according to the latest figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Monday.
Between 28 November and 3 December, an average of 2,163 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 10% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 591,756. 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, 278.1 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 49% drop compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 30 November and 6 December, an average of 188.7 patients was admitted to hospital, down 18% from the week before.
In total, 3,213 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 50 more than yesterday. Of all patients, 739 are in intensive care, which is 14 fewer than yesterday. A total of 475 patients are on a ventilator – 16 fewer than yesterday.
From 27 November to 3 December, an average number of 109.4 deaths occurred per day, marking a 19.3% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 17,320.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of more than 6.1 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 29,557.4 was taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 8.8%. That means that fewer than one in ten people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage went down by 1.6% compared to last week, along with a 2% increase in testing.
The reproduction rate, finally, has risen to 0.91. That rate (Rt) is the rate at which the virus spreads. As it remains below 1.0, it means that a person infected with coronavirus infects fewer than one other person on average.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
