The number of new hospitalisations due to the coronavirus in Belgium continues to increase, however the rate of increase appears to be slowing.
Between 14 and 20 August, on average, 58.1 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted per day, an increase of 7%, according to the latest figures from the Sciensano Public Health Institute on Saturday morning.
On Friday, a total of 581 people remained in hospitals due to an infection (28 fewer than on Thursday), including 178 patients being treated in intensive care (-2), with 78 on a ventilator (-6).
Between 11 and 17 August, an average of 3.3 people died per day from the virus (unchanged), bringing the total number of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in Belgium to 25,320.
During the same period, an average of 1,936 new Covid-19 infections were detected per day, up 6% compared with the previous week.
Meanwhile, an average of 49,579 tests were performed daily, with a positivity rate of 4.3%.
The virus reproduction rate has once again dropped slightly to 1.05 after reaching 1.15 on Tuesday. This figure represents the average number of people infected by each infected person, and when it is higher than 1, it means that the epidemic is growing in the population.
The incidence, which indicates the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, reached 229.2 over the past 14 days.
Vaccination figures are no longer updated on Saturday. According to the latest update yesterday, however, more than 8.3 million Belgians have received a first dose of the vaccine, representing 84.7% of the adult population, and 72.2% of the total population.
Meanwhile, more than 7.75 million people are fully vaccinated, accounting for 81.9% of the adult population in Belgium, and 67.3% of the total population.
On Friday, Belgium's Consultative Committee met to discuss the epidemiological situation in the country, as well as possible relaxations as part of the next phase of the summer plan, expected to go ahead from 1 September. Details here.
The Brussels Times
