291 additional people have tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium in the last 24 hours, confirmed the federal public health ministry on Sunday.
This brings the total number of cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic to 55,280. 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 from the consequences of the virus.
169 of the newly-infected people live in Flanders, 84 live in Wallonia, and 36 live in Brussels. No information was available on the residence of two remaining cases.
21,686 coronavirus tests have been taken in Belgium in the past 24 hours, of which 11,338 in the clinical labs, and 10,348 by the federal testing platform.
60 new patients were admitted to hospital in the last 24 hours, and 170 were discharged.
The total number of people in hospital because of the coronavirus at the moment is 1,622.
Of the patients in hospital, 371 are in the intensive care unit, seven more than yesterday.
47 new deaths have been reported, bringing the total number of people who died because of the coronavirus to 9,052.
Of the new fatalities, 22 took place in hospital and 24 in care homes. Of the 9,005 deaths, 48% took place in hospital, 51% in a care home and only 0.6% elsewhere. Deaths in hospital are all confirmed Covid-19 cases, while those in care homes are 23% confirmed by test and 77% presumed by symptoms.
Update: The number of patients confirmed with the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium is 55,559, as of Monday 18 May. Read more about it here.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
