The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Belgium has risen above 600,000, according to the latest figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Friday.
Between 1 and 7 December, an average of 2,165.3 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 2% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 600,397. 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, 266.7 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 41% drop compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 4 and 10 December, an average of 188.4 patients was admitted to hospital, down only 1% from the week before.
In total, 2,939 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 77 fewer than yesterday. Of all patients, 657 are in intensive care, which is 5 fewer than yesterday. A total of 412 patients are on a ventilator – 32 fewer than yesterday.
From 1 to 7 December, an average number of 98 deaths occurred per day, marking a 17.2% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 17,692.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 6,231,437 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 30,336.9 were taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 8.6%. That means that fewer than one in ten people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage went down by 0.7% compared to last week, along with a 3% increase in testing.
The reproduction rate, finally, currently stands at 0.97. That rate (Rt) is the rate at which the virus spreads. If it rises above 1.0 again, it would mean that a person infected with coronavirus infects more than one other person on average and that the pandemic would be growing again.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
