After increasing for several weeks, the number of new covid-19 infections has started to gradually decrease, however, the number of deaths is still slowly rising.
Between 26 March and 1 April, an average of 10,351 new coronavirus infections were identified every day, an 8% decrease from the previous seven days, according to the figures published by the Sciensano Public Health Institute on Tuesday morning.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant, Omicron BA.2 variant, is accounting for 88.3% of all cases, while the Delta variant has been eradicated.
The average number of PCR tests taken per day in the same period inclined by 1% to 38,901. The positivity rate now sits at 29.2%, meaning slightly fewer than three out of ten tests have a positive result.
During the same week, an average of 23.3 Covid-19 patients died on a daily basis, an increase of 9%. The total number of deaths in Belgium since the start of the pandemic amounts to 30,908.
This figure also includes people who died of another cause of death, but who happened to be infected, meaning they are an overestimate of the deaths caused by the virus.
Last week, Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke lamented the fact that the crisis is not yet over and that people ignored earlier warnings – from himself or infectious disease expert Erika Vlieghe – that caution is still needed.
Situation in hospitals
Between 29 March and 4 April, an average of 215.6 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals each day – an increase of 4% on the seven days previous.
This number reflects how many people end up in hospital specifically because of the virus, not those who are admitted with another condition and then test positive for the coronavirus.
Credit: Belga
On Monday, a total of 3,071 people were in Belgian hospitals due to an infection, 107 more than on Sunday. Meanwhile, the number of people being treated in intensive care is slightly rising and now sits at 185 (+2).
This number covers all patients who tested positive for Covid-19, including those who were first admitted with a different condition.
Reproduction rate, incidence, and total vaccinations
The reproduction rate (Rt) has decreased and now sits at 1.01. 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) has dropped to 1,313 over the past 14 days.
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As of Saturday, more than 9.13 million people are fully vaccinated – 89% of Belgium's adult population and 79% of the total population.
Meanwhile, more than 7.1 million people have received a booster dose of a coronavirus vaccine, representing 75% of over-18s and 62% of the entire population.
As of last week, the frequency of Sciensano's update on the epidemiological situation has been adjusted. Although it will "continue to closely monitor the Covid situation in the country," it will only publish an update twice a week — on Tuesday and Friday — rather than on a daily basis.
