A total of 1,160 Covid-19 patients are currently in Belgian intensive care units, according to Sciensano’s latest figures on Saturday.
There are 55 more patients in the intensive care unit than yesterday. Of the 6,497 patients in hospital, 632 – 33 more than yesterday – are on a ventilator.
An average of 648.1 patients were admitted to hospital between 24 and 31 October, which is a 49% increase compared to the week before, and passes the peak of 561.7 daily hospitalisations in April.
Additionally, between 22 and 28 October, an average of 15,967 new people tested positive per day, which is an increase of 24% compared to the week before. On Tuesday 27 October, the number of people testing positive rose to 21,791 new infections.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 429,229. 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, 1,753.8 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 142% compared to the two weeks before.
From 22 to 28 October, an average number of 102.1 deaths occurred per day, up by 62% compared to the week before. On Thursday 28 October itself, 133 deaths were recorded.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 11,625.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of over 5 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, 64,300 were taken over the past week, with a positivity rate of 28.5%. This means that over a quarter of the people who get tested receive a positive result, and the ratio is climbing towards one in three.
The percentage is a 10% increase compared last week, and coincides with a 1% fall in the number of tests being carried out, after the authorities decided not to test patients with no symptoms.
Since 21 October, only people with coronavirus symptoms are being tested. That means that some new infections, which used to be detected, are missing in the statistics, Sciensano said. The public health institute will use statistical models to calculate those infections that are not registered under the new testing strategy.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, has been coming down since 23 October, and now stands at 1.24, the lowest since 8 October. That rate (Rt) is the rate at which the virus spreads. Until it comes down below 1.0, the virus is continuing to grow in the population.
The Brussels Times
