A daily average of over 44,000 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the previous days, while the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals has risen above 3,000.
Between 14 and 20 January, an average of 44,104 Covid-19 infections were recorded each day, a 71% increase compared to the previous week, according to preliminary figures from the Sciensano Health Insitute, distributed by the cabinet of Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke.
Around 60,000 new cases were recorded on Tuesday and Wednesday; on Monday last week, a record-breaking 62,364 positive cases were registered.
During the same week, some 726,401 tests were carried out in Belgium of which 311,279 had a positive result. The positivity ratio in that period was 42.85%, which means that more than four in 10 people tested positive – Belgium's highest-ever positivity rate.
Between 11 and 17 January, an average of 22 people died each day due to Covid-19, 10% more than in the previous week. In total, there have already been 28,780 deaths as a result of the virus in Belgium.
Rise in hospitalisations continues
Between 17 and 23 January, an average of 295 patients with the coronavirus were admitted to hospitals each day.
On Sunday, 3,039 Covid-19 patients were being treated in hospital, some 200 more than on Friday, when the last official figures were updated. However, there are fewer and fewer people being treated in intensive care. On Sunday, this figure sat at 361.
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Meanwhile, as of Thursday (the last available data), more than 8.84 million people have been fully vaccinated, which equated to 77% of the total population and 89% of over-18s.
Around 6.17 million people have received a booster dose, the equivalent of 54% of the entire population, and 67% of all adults in Belgium.
Sciensano does not publish an update of the figures on its dashboard on Sunday and Monday. A full update of the official figures will be published on Tuesday morning.
