The number of Covid-19 patients ending up in hospital has reached the highest level since the start of December, with around 330 people being hospitalised due to an infection every day.
Between 19 and 25 January, an average of 330.3 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals per day — a significant increase of 51% on the seven days previous, according to the figures published by the Sciensano Public Health Institute on Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday, a total of 3,438 people were in Belgian hospitals due to an infection, 135 more than on Monday, and double the number recorded on the first day of this year.
However, the number of patients in a critical condition remains relatively low, as 367 Covid-19 patients are being treated in intensive care (four fewer than on Monday) and 172 (-4) are on a ventilator.
Almost 50,000 new infections
Between 16 and 22 January, an average of 49,289 new coronavirus infections were identified every day — up by 77% on the previous seven days.
Last week, between 55,000 and 62,000 new cases were recorded every day, which was the highest by far since the start of the pandemic in Belgium. Preliminary figures show a slight drop, but these numbers have not yet been consolidated.
The average number of PCR tests taken per day in the same period has also increased since last week, as some 114,385.3 tests were carried out. The positivity rate continues to increase and now sits at 45.2%, meaning almost half of all tests undertaken are positive, the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
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A slight rise in the number of Covid-19 deaths is only now starting to show, despite the fifth wave being ongoing for weeks. During the same period, an average of 25.3 Covid-19 patients died per day, up by 20% since last week.
Total deaths in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic amount to 28,863.
Pacheco test and vaccination centre in Brussels. Credit: The Brussels Times/ Lauren Walker
The reproduction rate (Rt) has once again risen to 1.27. 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) continues to rise and now sits at 4,683 over the past 14 days.
As of Monday, more than 8.84 million people are fully vaccinated — 89% of Belgium's adult population and 77% of the total population.
Meanwhile, almost 6.34 million people have received a booster dose of a coronavirus vaccine, representing 68% of over-18s and 55% of the entire population. The majority of adults should have had the opportunity to get a booster dose by March 2022.
Data from the United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed that booster doses continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant, especially among older adults.
