The public health science institute Sciensano has released the latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium. They show further falls in the number of positive PCR tests for coronavirus and in the number of people with COVID-19 that are being hospitalised.
During the week from 18 to 24 October an average of 1,599 positive PCR test results were recorded in Belgium each day. This is down 37% on the previous week. However, this figure is an underestimate of the true number of people infected with coronavirus as not everyone takes a PCR test after having tested positive using a self-test.
Between 18 and 24 October 24% fewer PCR tests for coronavirus were carried out than during the previous week. Of those tested 19.7% tested positive for coronavirus.
The basic reproductive rate (R0) for coronavirus in Belgium currently stands at 0.80. This means that every 100 people with the virus infect a further 80 others.
Hospitalisations and deaths
During the past 7 days (21 to 27 October) an average of 83 people were admitted to the country’s hospitals for treatment on the ill-effects of COVID-19. This figure is down 25% on the previous week.
There are currently 1,218 people with COVID-19 in the country’s hospitals. This figure that includes all patients that have tested positive for coronavirus, also those initially admitted for treatment on other ailments, is down 19% on the previous week.
Of those hospitalised with COVID-19, 69 are currently on intensive care wards.
During the past week an average of 8 people with COVID-19 died in Belgium each day. Since the onset of the pandemic in Belgium in March 2020 32,902 people with COVID-19 have died here.
Meanwhile, the latest figures show that 3,363,738 people in Belgium have already received a second booster jab to better protect