Sciensano, Belgium's public health institute that issues the country's official Covid infection statistics, will no longer publish daily reports on the epidemiological situation in the country, it announced in a press release.
Reporting on the Sciensano dashboard will no longer be carried out daily. Instead, Covid statistics will now be published twice a week (on Tuesdays and Fridays). Sciensano stressed that the change does not mean that the government will no longer closely monitor the situation within the country.
“The change in the number of reports is independent of the COVID-19 surveillance activities,” the press statement reads. “Sciensano continues to closely monitor the epidemiological situation.”
Data will continue to be published through its “usual channels”, namely its newsletter, dashboard, and database.
Related News
- More Covid-19 hospitalisations, fewer patients in intensive care
- Almost 2,600 Covid-patients in Belgian hospitals
Since most public health restrictions were relaxed on 7 March, infections have been steadily increasing. On March 24, over 13,000 cases of Covid-19 were registered in Belgium.
The number of those hospitalised with the virus has also surpassed 2,500 people. Between March 17 and March 23, an average of 183 covid patients were admitted to hospitals each day, up 14% from the week before.
The daily updates from Sciensano have been the focus of considerable and sustained media attention and the basis of many policies relating to public health.
