Covid-19 update: patient numbers in Belgian hospitals dip below 7,000 for the first time in two weeks
While the number of corona patients keeps going down, the number of fatalities is still on the rise. Meanwhile, the number of Covid patients in critical care remains more or less stable.
Fewer people have to go to hospital to receive treatment: the daily average for the past week was calculated at 486, which is about a quarter down on the week: the week before, that, Belgium still had to cope with 645 hospital admissions each day. Yesterday however, 509 new patients were admitted to a Belgian hospital.
The total number of corona patients in our hospitals has dipped below 7,000 now, to 6,762, the lowest number in two weeks' time. About 1,450 patients are in intensive care, of whom 900 are in a critical condition. These two numbers have remained more or less stable over the past week.
Most of those who die are 75+, but younger people are not out of the danger zone
Last week, 6,213 people tested positive for coronavirus each day on average. This number is 48 percent down on the week.
But while the number of new infections and hospital admissions is down, the number of fatalities is still on the rise. It has now reached 201 per day in the past week, lifting the total number of Covid deaths in Belgium to more than 14,000. Most of those succumbing are 75+, though younger people are not out of the danger zone: last week five people in the age category between 25 and 44 died.
It will take a while before the improving numbers in new infections and hospital admissions will be translated in fewer deaths: this takes a while as patients who are in a bad way can spend several weeks in intensive care, experts underline.