70 additional people have tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) in Belgium in the last 24 hours, according to figures by the Federal Public Health Service on Wednesday.
This brings the total number of cases in Belgium, since the beginning of the pandemic, to 58,685. 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.
The figure is a further drop in the number of new cases, down from 98 yesterday, the first time the number has been below 100 since March 10, before the lockdown started.
6,619 tests were administered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 891,005.
43 of the newly-infected people live in Flanders, 21 live in Wallonia, and 6 live in Brussels. 68 of the new cases were tested in hospital, and two in the care homes.
31 new patients were admitted to hospital in the last 24 hours, and 25 people were discharged, bringing the total number of people in hospital because of the coronavirus at the moment to 819.
Of the patients in hospital, 172 are in the intensive care unit, which is a slight increase of six patients in the last 24 hours. Those include 79 patients on a respirator, seven fewer than yesterday.
17 new deaths have been reported, of which 11 occurred in hospitals, and were all confirmed cases. Six of the deaths were reported by residential care centres, of which 83% were confirmed cases. Ten of the latest deaths were in Flanders and seven in Wallonia.
Brussels had zero fatalities in the last 24 hours – only the second time since the outbreak started. The previous zero-death day was on May 29.
The total number of deaths in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 9,522, of which 48% occurred in hospitals, 51% in residential care centres, 0.3% at home, and 0.5% somewhere else.
The hospital deaths are all confirmed Covid-19 cases. Of the deaths in residential care centres, 26% are confirmed cases, and 74% are suspected ones.
“New infections are still being detected in our country, but the trends are declining,” the FPS said. “So, persevere and follow the general measures, take good care of yourself and others.”
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
