Almost 1,000 fewer beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients in Belgian hospitals than during the peak a little over a week ago, but the death toll is still rising, according to Sciensano’s latest figures on Sunday.
Between 5 and 11 November, an average of 5,245.9 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 51% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 531,280. 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, 968.6 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, a decrease of 45% compared to the two weeks before.
Related News
- Europe expects Covid-19 vaccine to be distributed 'in January'
- Healthy woman re-infected with coronavirus in Belgium
- First Belgian town makes face masks mandatory from 6 years old
Between 8 and 14 November, an average of 478.9 patients was admitted to hospital, down from a daily average of 549 the week before.
In total, 6,504 coronavirus patients are currently admitted to hospital, 258 fewer than yesterday. This is approximately 1,000 patients fewer than during the peak a little over a week ago, on 3 November, when 7,489 Covid-19 patients were in hospital.
Of the patients currently admitted, 1,423 are in intensive care, which is 34 fewer than the day before. Patients on a ventilator number 870 – 27 fewer than yesterday.
From 5 to 11 November, an average number of 202 deaths occurred per day, up from the daily average of 188.6 the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 14,303 – 197 more than yesterday.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of over 5.5 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, 31,900 were taken over the past week, with a positivity rate of 20.8%. This means that just over a fifth of the people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage went down from 24.2% last week, and coincides with a 35% 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 0.86. That rate (Rt) is the rate at which the virus spreads. Since it is now below 1.0, the virus seems to no longer be growing in the population.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
