LIVE. Covid is on the rise in residential care centers

There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of covid infections in residential care centers in recent weeks. This is especially the case in Brussels and Wallonia, but it is also starting to become noticeable in Flanders.

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That says virologist Steven Van Gucht in the explanation of the infection figures. Until recently, the number of new infections was low everywhere, at less than 3 per thousand nursing home residents per week. There has been a clear increase in recent weeks, largely due to the increase in a limited number of residential care centers. Nevertheless, the number of infections is increasing everywhere ‘.

According to Sciensano’s figures, this is 4 in 1,000 in Flanders, 9 in 1,000 in Wallonia and 12 in a thousand in Brussels. ‘There were no cases in 95 percent of the Flemish residential care centers, in Brussels this is just under 80 percent.’ That is much more than during the first wave. Then, according to van Gucht, only 10 percent of the residential care centers remained virus-free.

Nevertheless, Van Gucht points out that the data from the various regions are difficult to compare. ‘The number and size of residential care centers differs greatly, as does the frequency with which preventive screening takes place. That may explain part of the difference ‘.

Van Gucht did expressly thank the employees of the residential care centers. ‘You take great responsibility for a vulnerable group of society on a daily basis, and you take great care not to infect them with covid. Keep up the good work, also during the coming months, which will remain difficult ‘.

Almost 3,000 infections

On average, there were daily between September 29 and October 5 2,915.9 infections per day registered in our country, which is almost 72 percent more than a week earlier. The number of deaths and hospital admissions also continues to rise.

According to Van Gucht, at the current rate, the number of confirmed infections doubles every nine days, and the number of hospital admissions doubles every 15 days.

According to him, the increase will certainly continue for some time. On Monday, October 5, there were 4,601 confirmed infections, a record. This will remain noticeable in the weekly average for some time.

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