Wed 14 October 2020:
An average of more than 5,000 additional people tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19) per day over the past week in Belgium, while the number of new infections has doubled compared to the week before, according to Sciensano’s latest figures on Wednesday.
Over the 7-day period from 4 to 10 October, an average of 5,057 new people tested positive per day, which is an increase of 93% compared to the week before. On Friday, more than 7,000 people tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of over 3.8 million tests have been carried out. Of those tests, about 42,100 were taken over the past week, with a positivity rate of 11.7%.
Belgium’s reproduction number (Rt) is currently 1.45, according to Sciensano’s figures. This means that, across the country, one infected person infects more than one other person on average.
Fears ICU beds may run out
Belgian hospitals could run out of intensive care unit (ICU) beds by the middle of next month if the new COVID-19 wave continues at its current rate, an official said on Wednesday.
The nation of 11 million people has Europe’s second highest infection rate per capita after the Czech Republic, with new case doubling every seven days and hitting a peak of 7,000 on Oct. 9, more than during the peak in March and April.
The number of patients in ICUs is doubling every twelve days – to 281 as of Tuesday – and hospitals in Brussels have been ordered to reserve 50% of beds for coronavirus patients.
Health Ministry spokesman Yves Van Laethem told a news conference Belgium’s maximum capacity of 2,000 ICU beds might be reached by mid-November if the increases continues.
“This scenario must be absolutely avoided,” he said.
“There is no need to panic. We are not in the same situation that we went through in March and April: we know the virus better and we know what needs to be done to control it – but we must do it.”
COVID-19 has claimed 10,244 lives in Belgium, one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the world.
