COVID-19: fewer than 700 patients in ICUs
Figures from the Belgian health science institute Sciensano show a further fall in hospitalisations and new cases of coronavirus, but the share of cases that have been identified as omicron is rising rapidly.
On average during the last seven-day observation period, the week to 19 December, 8,153 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed each day. The figure is down 36% on the week.
In the week to 22 December on average 164 patients a day were hospitalised. The figure is down 34% on the week.
2,321 patients are currently in hospital with Covid – down 26% on the week. 693 patients are in intensive care – down 14% on the week.
In the week to 19 December on average 36 deaths a day were linked to Covid. The figure is 20% down on the previous week. Since the start of the pandemic over 28,000 deaths have been linked to Covid.
On average over 73,100 tests are carried out each day in the week to 19 December – an 18% decrease on the week. 12.6% of tests come back positive – a 3.2% fall on the week.
Belgium’s Reproduction number stands at 0.75 and has fallen back 16%. A hundred sick people pass the virus on to 75 and the epidemic is no longer widening.
3,652,380 people have had a booster or third jab. 76% of the population is fully vaccinated.