Both the number of new coronavirus infections and hospitalisations continue to decline in Belgium, but the number of deaths is still rising slightly.
Between 8 and 14 February, an average of 259.3 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals each day – a decrease of 24% on the seven days previous, according to the figures published by the Sciensano Public Health Institute on Tuesday morning.
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.
On Sunday, a total of 3,658 people were in Belgian hospitals due to infection – 27 more than on Saturday. This number covers all patients who tested positive for Covid-19, including those who were first admitted with a different condition.
The number of patients in a life-threatening condition increased slightly during the weekend but is decreasing overall. Currently, 381 people are being treated in intensive care (+11), while 175 (+0) patients are on a ventilator.
Fewer infections, more deaths
Between 5 and 11 February, an average of 15,635 new coronavirus infections were identified every day — a 46% decrease on the previous seven days. The Omicron variant currently accounts for 89.3% of all cases in Belgium.
The average number of PCR tests taken per day in the same period decreased by 31% to 56,647.4. The positivity rate dropped after reaching a record-high and now sits at 31.9%, meaning just under 32 out of 100 tests that are taken have a positive result.
Despite the improvement in most major indicators, the number of people dying as a result of the virus is still on the rise, albeit at a slower pace. Between 5 and 11 February, an average of 44.3 Covid-19 patients died per day, up 8% since last week.
The highest increase in this number was recorded among people aged over 85, as infections are spreading most rapidly within this age category, both in and outside of residential care centres. However, it is also increasing among those aged 75 to 84.
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Total deaths in Belgium since the start of the pandemic amount to 29,724. On Thursday last week, 63 deaths were recorded in one day, the highest number since January last year.
Reproduction rate, incidence, and total vaccinations
The reproduction rate (Rt) currently sits at 0.83. This figure represents the average number of people that contract the virus from each infected person, and 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) is continuing to decrease and now sits at 2,704 over the past 14 days.
As of Sunday, almost 8.99 million people are fully vaccinated – 91% of Belgium's adult population and 78% of the total population.
Meanwhile, more than 6.82 million people have received a booster dose of a coronavirus vaccine, representing 73% of over-18s and 59% of the entire population. The majority of adults should have had the opportunity to get a booster dose by March 2022.
