For the first time since early March, the total number of Covid-19 patients in Belgian hospitals has dropped below 2,000, according to figures published by the Sciensano Institute of Public Health on Tuesday.
Between 30 April and 6 May, an average of 4,413 new daily Covid-19 infections were identified, an 8% drop from the previous seven days. The positivity rate now sits at 24.7%, meaning just under one in four tests have a positive result.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant, Omicron BA.2, now accounts for 95.1% of all cases.
During the same week, 14.6 patients suffering from Covid-19 died daily, down by 7% from the previous week. The total number of deaths in Belgium since the pandemic amounts to 31,580.
This figure also includes people who died of another cause of death but who happened to be infected, meaning there may be an overestimate of Covid-19 deaths caused by the virus.
Between 3 and 9 May, 125.4 patients suffering from Covid-19 were admitted to hospitals each day – down 10% from the previous seven days.
This number reflects how many people are hospitalized directly because of the virus, not those admitted with another condition and then test positive for Covid-19.
On Monday, 1,894 people were in Belgian hospitals due to an infection, 122 fewer than last Friday. Meanwhile, the number of people treated in intensive care sits at 126 (-7). The number of patients in intensive care has remained below 200 since 9 March.
This number covers all patients who tested positive for Covid-19, including those first admitted with a different condition.
