Coronavirus figures rise ever more sharply
The public health science institute Sciensano has released the latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium. The figures show sharp rises in the number of people testing positive for the virus and in the number of people with COVID-19 that are being hospitalised.
On Thursday 18 March Belgian hospitals reported that 207 people with COVID-19 had been hospitalised. This is the same figure as on Wednesday. 183 patients were discharged, down 9 on Wednesday’s figures. There are currently 2,140 patients with COVID-19 that are being cared for in Belgian hospitalis, an increase of 17 on yesterday’s figures. Of these 543 are on intensive care wards (up 9) and 297 (up 17) patients are on ventilators. Just 4 weeks ago there were 315 COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
During the week from 9 to 15 March an average of 23 patients with COVID-19 died in Belgium each day. This is down 11% on the 7-day rolling average for the previous week.
During the week from 9 to 15 March an average of 3,266 people tested positive for coronavirus each day. This is up 34% on the 7-day rolling average for the previous week. Furthermore, the rate of increase is speeding up.
There are also more people being tested. During the week from 9 to 15 March an average of 49,100 people were tested for coronavirus each day. This is up 11% on the previous week.
Of those tested 7% tested positive for coronavirus.
On Thursday 18 March a total of 864,841 people in Belgium had already received their first shot of coronavirus vaccine. 409,408 had already received their second dose. In Flanders 1 in 10 adults has now received at least 1 dose of coronavirus vaccine.