Belgium’s average daily coronavirus infections have risen by more than 40%, according to the latest official figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Monday.
Between 12 and 18 March, an average of 3,867 new people tested positive per day, which is a 42% increase compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 837,006. 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, 401.9 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 38% increase compared to the two weeks before.
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Between 15 and 21 March, an average of 197.3 patients were admitted to hospital per day, an increase of 22% compared to the week before.
In total, 2,247 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 107 more than on Friday. Of all patients, 569 are in intensive care, which is 26 more than on Friday. A total of 313 patients are on a ventilator – 16 more than on Friday.
From 12 to 18 March, an average number of 23.6 deaths occurred per day, marking a 10.8% decrease compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 22,707.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 10,520,108 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 54,590.4 were taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 7.5%.
The percentage went up by 1% compared to last week, while testing increased by 19%.
A total of 965,473 people in Belgium have received at least one dose of vaccine against coronavirus, or 10.5% of the population aged 18 and older. In addition, 441,822 people - or 3.8% of the entire population - have been fully vaccinated.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, now stands at 1.13, meaning that one person with coronavirus infects more than one other person on average and that the pandemic is growing in Belgium.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
