The corona figures are still going in the right direction. “The number of new infections, hospital admissions and deaths continues to decline,” said virologist Steven Van Gucht during the crisis centre’s press conference. But the decline in the numbers is slowing.
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‘Especially in Flanders, we see a slowdown in the decline in the number of new infections,’ said Van Gucht. “But there is no stabilization yet.” Due to this delay, Van Gucht does not expect to dive below the threshold of 800 infections per week until the end of December.
The delay may be due to the broader testing strategy. Since 23 November, people without symptoms have been allowed to have themselves tested again. “We see a delay in all age groups and in all provinces.”
Children
There is also an increase in infections in children under the age of ten, probably due to the reopening of the schools. The number of new cases in children is 20 percent higher than the week before. “But it concerns small numbers,” assures Van Gucht. “The children make up only three percent of all new infections.”
The people in their twenties and over 80s are the largest groups, they each represent 15 percent of all infections. Most new infections occur in Antwerp, followed by East Flanders and Hainaut.
Hospital admissions
Hospital admissions are also declining, only in Namur there is a slight increase. In the past week, 188 new patients were admitted, a decrease of 27 percent from the previous week. “That is halving every 15 days,” said Van Gucht. In Flanders, these figures are falling slightly less quickly than the national average, with a fall of 20 percent on a weekly basis. In Brussels this is a decrease of 34 percent, in Wallonia a decrease of 34 percent.
There are 3,427 patients in the hospital, of which 788 are in intensive care. The numbers halve every 18 to 20 days. Intensive care numbers have halved since the peak on November 9, 2020.
Deaths are also declining, with an average of 116 people dying every day, which is a 23 percent drop on a weekly basis.
Residential care centers: ‘Stay vigilant’
The number of infections and outbreaks in residential care centers continue to decline. Only in the German-speaking Community has there been a sharp increase, but it concerns a small number of residential care centers.
The number of large outbreaks, in which 10 or more people are infected, is also declining. “The number of new infections and outbreaks is gradually and slowly decreasing, but vigilance remains necessary, because the decrease is cautious,” warned Van Gucht.
Investigation
Van Gucht calls on everyone to complete the Sciensano survey. ‘It polls for the social and mental well-being of Belgians during this period. Your participation is important, so we can better understand the trends in this crisis. ‘
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