Coronavirus figures continue to fall
The public health science institute has released the latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium. They show further falls in new infections, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus.
During the week from 8 to 14 December an average of 10,974 positive coronavirus test results were registered each day. This is a fall of 29% on the figures for the previous week (1 to 6 December).
During the same period an average of 85,068 coronavirus tests were carried out each day, a fall of 17% on the average number of tests carried out during the previous week. Of those tested between 7 and 14 December 14.9% tested positive for coronavirus. This is down 1.9 percentage points down on the positivity rate during the previous week.
The number of people with COVID-19 that are requiring hospital treatment is down too. During the week from 11 to 17 December the country’s hospitals reported an average 220 admissions of COVID-19 patients each day. This is down 22% on the figures for the previous week. On Friday Belgium’s hospitals reported that they had 2,834 patients with COVID-19. This is 16% on the figures from a week ago. Of those hospitalised 761 are in intensive care, a fall of 9% on this time last week.
The number of people with COVID-19 that are dying is down too. During the week from 8 to 14 December an average of 44 people with COVID-19 died each day. This is 8% down on the figures from the previous week. Since the onset of the pandemic 27,895 people with COVID-19 have died in Belgium.
The basic reproductive rate (R0) for coronavirus in Belgium currently stands at 0.82. This means that on average every 100 people with the virus infect a further 82 others.
Meanwhile, 8,879,748 people in Belgium have received at least 1 dose of coronavirus vaccine. 8,759,422 people have been fully immunised. This is 76% of the entire population. 3,134,336 people have received an additional “booster” jab. This is 27% of the population.