Belgium’s reproduction rate has risen to 1.0 again as new daily coronavirus infections increase for the sixth day in a row, according to the latest figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Tuesday.
Between 8 and 14 December, an average of 2,445.1 new people tested positive per day over the past week, which is a 12% increase compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 618,204. 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, 282.2 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 10% drop compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 11 and 17 December, an average of 184 patients was admitted to hospital, down only 2% from the week before.
In total, 2,687 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 25 fewer than yesterday. Of all patients, 561 are in intensive care, which is 10 fewer than yesterday. A total of 356 patients are on a ventilator – 21 fewer than yesterday.
From 8 to 14 December, an average number of 92.9 deaths occurred per day, marking a 6.3% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 18,371.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 6,487,206 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 34,118.6 were taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 8.1%. That means that just under one in twelve people who get tested receive a positive result.
The percentage went down by 0.5% compared to last week, along with a 12% increase in testing.
The reproduction rate, finally, has risen to 1.0, which means that a person infected with coronavirus infects one other person on average. If it rises above 1.0 again, it would mean that a person infected with coronavirus infects more than one other person on average and that the pandemic would be growing again.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
