The Brussels-Capital Region will gather experts to discuss the rise of new coronavirus cases in the capital ahead of a highly expected nationwide meeting.
The cabinet of Brussels Minister-President Rudi Vervoort confirmed that the meeting would take place on Thursday, just ahead of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting expected to take place sometime next week.
The meeting comes as health authorities and observers stress that action is needed in Brussels to stem a steady surge of new coronavirus infections.
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In the past 7-day period, Brussels led in the country in terms of newly recorded Covid-19 infections with 1,173 cases detected, leading experts to urge authorities to take "emergency measures."
The meeting will gather a scientific committee, spokesperson Nancy Ngoma told The Brussels Times, which will be expected to issue advice to Brussels authorities on whether to adjust measures in the capital.
"A council with the 19 mayors of Brussels will take place in the following days," Ngoma added.
In the latest regional-level meeting, Vervoort stopped short of reintroducing lockdown-like measures and announced that the only change would be the introduction of a generalised face mask mandate, which critics have described as "disproportionate."
Last week, a report by health institute Sciensano also pinned the 19 municipalities of Brussels as areas to watch, calling on mayors to gather crisis cells in order to stem rising infection rates and avoid having to impose harsher measures on schools and elsewhere.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
