COVID-19 latest: lowest daily death toll in a month
Belgium’s national crisis centre has released the latest figures relating to COVID-19. 178 people were hospitalised on Wednesday. The figure is up 4 on the day. 293 patients were discharged.
3,609 patients are currently being treated for COVID-19 in a Belgian hospital. 769 people are in critical care wards. The figure is down 28 on Tuesday. 517 people are on a ventilator – down 17 on the day.
111 corona deaths were reported: 60 in Flanders, 42 in Wallonia and 9 in Brussels). 51 deaths were registered in hospital, 60 in care homes. 75% of deaths in care homes were confirmed as COVID-related thanks to a test.
7,594 people have died in Belgium with COVID-19. 53% of deaths occurred in care homes, 46% in hospitals. Hospital deaths are confirmed cases, while in care homes some of the deaths are suspected of being COVID-related.
660 new infections were reported on Wednesday including 131 in care homes. There have now been 48,519 confirmed cases of the disease in Belgium.
The crisis centre’s Yves Stevens looked ahead to the long holiday weekend, as May Day is a public holiday: “It’s a time of numerous social and family traditions. As a result of the corona measures these days will be rather different to usual. Public and private gatherings are not yet possible. Look for other ways of relaxing this weekend. The pandemic does not respect weekends. In the coming days thousands of people will continue to fight the ramifications of the crisis, each in their own field”.
Starting Monday the crisis centre will no longer hold daily news conferences at 11AM. News conferences will now be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but an update of figures will be published daily on the crisis centre website and will also continue to be reported on flandersnews.
Questions the crisis centre is now receiving often focus on how the return to a new normal will unfold.
“Starting Monday we are in a new phase: the start of the exit from the lockdown” Yves Stevens said. “In coming weeks and months we wish to continue to provide guidance and communicate on all aspects”.
11 million people visited the Info Corona website in recent weeks, while the information line 0800 14 689 received 15,000 calls.