The number of recorded Covid-19 contaminations and hospital admissions is rising sharply, according to the latest figures from the public health institute Sciensano updated Tuesday morning. The autumn wave, which according to virologist Steven Van Gucht began last week, therefore continues to strengthen. An average of 2,823 coronavirus infections was thus recorded daily between September 24 and 30, an increase of 26% compared to the previous seven days. Some 12,700 tests were carried out per day on average. Of these, 23% were positive.
The overwhelming majority of cases (92.3%) of Covid-19 remain due to the Omicron BA.5 subvariant.
During the same period, just under four people died each day from the consequences of Covid (+42%). Since the start of the epidemic in Belgium at the start of 2020, 32,690 people have died.
Between September 27 and October 3, 94.3 Covid patients were hospitalized on average per day. This represents a 28% increase on a weekly basis.
There are currently 1,294 coronavirus patients in Belgian hospitals, an increase of 39% compared to the previous week. Among them, 74 are in intensive care units (+32%).
The reproduction rate of the virus is 1.13. When it is greater than 1, this indicator means that the epidemic tends to accelerate. However, it is down 11%. The incidence, which provides the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, reached 306 over 14 days.
Two weeks ago, Sciensano had indicated that, according to scientific models, a new wave of Covid-19 might be expected for mid-October.
