The public health science institute Sciensano has released the latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium. They show a continuation in the upward trend set in recent weeks.
Coronavirus figures continue to rise, almost 2,000 COVID-19 patients in the country’s hospitals
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During the week from 16 to 22 December there were an average of 1,440 positive PCR test results for COVID-19 each day. This is up around 1% on the previous week. During the same period, an average of 9,400 PCR tests for COVID-19 were carried out each day. This is 8% up on the average for the previous week.
The basic reproductive rate for coronavirus in Belgium currently stands at 1.09. This means that every 100 people with the virus infect an average of a further 109 others.
Hospitalisations and deaths
Meanwhile, the number of patients with COVID-19 that are being admitted to the country’s hospitals is at its highest level in almost 5 months. During the week from 16 to 22 December an average of 130 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to Belgian hospitals each day. This figures that only includes those admitted specifically for treatment on the ill-effects of COVID-19 is 19% up on the previous week.
There are currently 1,985 patients 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 up 25% on a week ago.
During the past week, an average of 10 people with COVID-19 died in Belgium each day. This is up 41% on the average number of COVID-19 deaths during the previous week. Since the onset of the pandemic in Belgium in February 2020 33,228 people with COVID-19 have died here.