If the figures continue to increase at this rate, Belgium will see 1,000 coronavirus patients in intensive care by 10 April, health officials stated during a press conference on Tuesday.
Belgium's coronavirus figures "are in the red," and the pressure on the hospitals' intensive care units is increasing rapidly, according to virologist and interfederal Covid-19 spokesperson Steven Van Gucht.
"At this rate, we will reach the mark of 1,000 intensive care patients by 10 April," he said, adding that "this also means that we still have about ten days to turn the tide."
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Van Gucht stressed that if everyone continues to follow the basic coronavirus measures, this is a reachable goal, which will be helped by the nice spring weather.
"Infections are rising less fast, and hopefully hospital admissions will soon increase less fast as well," he said, adding that the number of patients in ICU has been rising for the fifth week in a row now.
"It will be easier for people to live and meet outdoors, which is always safer than indoors," Van Gucht said, explaining that fine droplets or aerosols do not have much chance of infecting anyone outside, because they dissipate very quickly in the open air.
"Mind you, we can still infect someone even outside, at a short distance or through direct physical contact," he added. "Always be careful."
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
