The increase in coronavirus infection rate in Belgium is dropping slightly, but the number of deaths due to the virus is rising, according to the latest official figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Friday.
Between 16 and 22 March, an average of 4,331 new people tested positive per day, which is a 32% increase compared to the week before, down by 5% from Thursday's seven-day average.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 854,608, up by over 5,000 from Thursday. 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, 463.6 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 58% increase compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 19 and 25 March, an average of 226.6 patients was admitted to the hospital per day, an increase of 22% compared to the week before, down from 26% since Thursday.
In total, 2,492 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 40 more than yesterday. Of all patients, 651 are in intensive care, which is 14 more than yesterday. A total of 355 patients are on a ventilator – an increase of 30 more than yesterday.
From 16 to 22 March, an average number of 27.3 deaths occurred per day, marking a 17.9% increase compared to the week before, up from 6% since yesterday's seven-day average.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 22,916.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 10,772,328 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 560,382.1 was taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 7.7%.
The percentage went up by 0.7% compared to last week, while testing increased by 23%.
A total of 1,095,713 people in Belgium have received at least one dose of vaccine against coronavirus, or 11.9% of the population aged 18 and older. In addition, 464,702 people – or 5% of the adult population – have been fully vaccinated.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, now stands at 1.15 meaning that one person with coronavirus infects more than one other person on average and that the pandemic is growing in Belgium.
The Brussels Times
