While the average number of daily Covid-19 infection figures has started falling considerably, hospitalisations and the number of ICU patients are still on the rise in Belgium.
In the last seven days, an average of 158.6 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals each day — down by 3% from the previous seven days. The figure reflects how many people are hospitalised directly because of the virus, not those admitted with another condition and then also test positive for Covid-19.
On Monday, a total of 2,284 people were in Belgian hospitals due to an infection, 63 more than on Friday, while the number of people being treated in intensive care rose to 126 (+3), the highest this figure has been since mid-May.
While the number of patients in ICU has remained below 200 since 9 March, it has been since the beginning of May that so many have ended up in intensive care.
This number covers all patients who tested positive for Covid-19, including those who were first admitted with a different condition.
Cases, tests and deaths
Between 19 and 25 July, an average of 4,276 new daily Covid-19 infections was identified: a 40% decrease from the previous seven days and about a thousand fewer than when figures were last updated on Friday, according to figures published by the Sciensano Institute of Public Health on Tuesday morning.
However, it must be taken into account that the official number of infections is an underestimation, as not everyone goes in for a PCR test after a positive self-test result.
The average number of tests taken per day is slightly lower than at the end of last week, sitting around 14,500. The positivity rate is currently at 31.9%, meaning just under one in three tests has a positive result.
Related News
- WHO: Monkeypox declared 'international emergency,' but no reason to panic
- Mandatory face masks will be back in September, predicts Van Ranst
- Covid-19 vaccines have saved 19.8 million lives, says WHO
Omicron BA.5 remains the dominant strain, accounting for 79.7% of all infections. The strain is said to be no more or less infectious than the other Omicron subvariants but it does succeed very well in circumventing people’s accumulated immunity.
Deaths, as a result of infection, are rising as well: about 10.7 Covid-19 patients died each day over the past seven days – down by 5% from the previous week.
The total number of deaths in Belgium since the start of the pandemic amounts to 32,179 (+90 since last Tuesday). However, this figure includes people who died of another cause but who happened to be infected, meaning that this is an overestimate of deaths attributed to Covid-19.
Reproduction rate, incidence, and total vaccinations
The reproduction rate dropped to below 1. This figure represents the average number of people that contract the virus from each infected person. When it is above 1, it means that the epidemic is gaining ground in Belgium.
The incidence (the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants) also continues to decrease and now sits at 688 over the past 14 days.
As of Monday, more than 9.09 million people are fully vaccinated – 89% of Belgium's adult population and 79% of the total population. This figure was higher, but since the end of June, this figure takes into account vaccinated people who died.
Meanwhile, more than 7.17 million people have received a booster dose of the vaccine, representing 76% of over-18s and 62% of the entire population. From September onwards, an additional booster will be available to a larger group of the population. Find out if you are eligible here.
