The number of deaths as a result of the coronavirus continues to rise in Belgium, however, hospitalisations are starting to drop, according to the latest official figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Wednesday.
Between 21 and 27 March, an average of 4,810 new people tested positive per day, which is an 18% increase compared to the week before, up by 1% since yesterday's seven-day average increase.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 876,842. The total reflects all people in Belgium who have been infected and includes confirmed active cases as well as patients who have since recovered, or died as a result of the virus.
Over the past two weeks, 547.0 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 69% increase compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 24 and 30 March, an average of 246 patients was admitted to the hospital per day, an increase of 14% compared to the week before, down from 18% since yesterday.
In total, 2,2,867 coronavirus patients were in hospital on Tuesday, 49 more than the day before. Of all patients, 740 were in intensive care, 1 more than on Monday, while 429 patients were on a ventilator, 21 more than the previous day.
From 21 to 27 March, an average number of 27 deaths occurred per day, marking a 5.6% increase compared to the week before, up by 3.9% from yesterday's seven-day average.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 22,966.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 11,083,424 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 68,226.3 was taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 7.7%.
The percentage went up by 0.1% compared to last week, while testing increased by 17%.
As of yesterday, a total of 1,260,303 people in Belgium have received at least one dose of vaccine against coronavirus, up from 1,236,554 the day before, or 13.7% of the population aged 18 and older.
In addition, 512,447 people – or 5.6% of the adult population – have been fully vaccinated, up from 505,870 the day before.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, now stands at 1.09, the same as yesterday, meaning that one person with coronavirus infects more than one other person on average and that the epidemic is growing in Belgium.
Lauren Walker
The Brussels Times
