The quickly rising number of confirmed infections and hospitalisations is more than an alarm signal, said Federal Public Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, warning that opening up terraces earlier is definitely out of the question.
He said the number of people testing positive with the virus, up by 21% from last week, and the number of hospitalisations in the past few days is "very disturbing”, according to De Morgen.
“If we want to reopen secondary schools after the Easter holidays, then we have to be more careful today. Otherwise, we will not get there. Talks about reopening terraces are totally out of the question," said Vandenbroucke.
“In the past few days on average, there have been more than 2,800 confirmed infections per day. That is a lot and the number is rising relatively quickly. We are also seeing a sharp increase in the number of people being admitted to hospital,” he said.
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“Our intensive care units are starting to fill up, even though the number of people in intensive care without corona is still less than normal. So interventions and treatments are still being postponed,” said Vandenbroucke.
He also said the agreements on, for example, teleworking, should be strictly followed, adding that "relaxations are very sympathetic, but that is turning people's heads.”
Lauren Walker
The Brussels Times
