All of Belgium’s major coronavirus indicators continue to rise, according to the latest official figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Wednesday.
Between 14 and 20 March, an average of 4,158 new people tested positive per day, which is a 40% increase compared to the week before.
The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium since the beginning of the pandemic is 842,775. 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, 434.2 infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, which is a 50% increase compared to the two weeks before.
Between 17 and 23 March, an average of 215.3 patients were admitted to hospital per day, an increase of 28% compared to the week before.
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In total, 2,402 coronavirus patients are currently in hospital, or 43 more than yesterday. Of all patients, 601 are in intensive care, which is 13 more than yesterday. A total of 325 patients are on a ventilator – 3 more than yesterday.
From 14 to 20 March, an average number of 25.3 deaths occurred per day, marking a 3.5% increase compared to the week before.
The total number of deaths in the country since the beginning of the pandemic is currently 22,763.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 10,605,652 tests have been carried out. Of those tests, an average of 58,283 were taken per day over the past week, with a positivity rate of 7.6%.
The percentage went up by 0.8% compared to last week, while testing increased by 22%.
A total of 1,010,181 people in Belgium have received at least one dose of vaccine against coronavirus, or 11% of the population aged 18 and older. In addition, 450,896 people - or 3.9% of the entire population - have been fully vaccinated.
The reproduction rate, meanwhile, now stands at 1.17 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
