All of Belgium’s coronavirus infection figures are continuing to drop, according to Sciensano’s latest figures published on Saturday.
Between 11 and 17 November, an average of 3,939.1 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 38% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 553,680. 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, 623.8 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 63% drop compared to the two weeks before.
Between 14 and 20 November, an average of 344.3 patients were admitted to hospital, down 29% from the week before.
In total, 5,418 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 232 fewer than yesterday.
Of the patients currently admitted, 1,249 are in intensive care, which is 35 fewer than the day before. Patients on a ventilator number 808 – 29 fewer than yesterday.
From 11 to 17 November, an average number of 176.9 deaths occurred per day, marking a 13.8% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 15,196 15,352 – 156 more than yesterday.
Since the start of the pandemic, more than 5.6 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 28,300,000 were taken daily over the past week, with a positivity rate of 17.5%. That means that fewer than one in five people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage went down by 4.4% compared to last week, and coincides with a 16% 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.
From Monday, however, asymptomatic people will be able to get tested again.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, has fallen again from 0.80 to 0.77. That rate (Rt) is the rate at which the virus spreads. As it remains below 1.0, it means that a person infected with coronavirus infects fewer than one other person on average.
The Brussels Times
