[231][232], The Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy reported that the strong decrease in car and air traffic due to the confinement measures does not necessarily entail as strong a decrease in air pollution. The dates are to be understood as follows: cases: date of diagnosis (or when not available, date of reporting); tested: date of laboratory diagnosis (or when not available, date of sampling). [52], From 422 samples analysed on 7 March 31 were reported positive on 8 March (16 in Flanders, eight in Brussels and seven in Wallonia), bringing the number of infections to 200. Published on Jan 24, 2020 Un nouveau virus est apparu en Chine à Wuhan sur un marché aux poissons fin Décembre et fait peur. [15], The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[16][17] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll. As of end July and during August and September the number of new corona infections per day began to rise again in Belgium. By the end of March all 10 provinces of the country had registered cases. COVID-19 confirmed cases in Belgium by province (, COVID-19 confirmed cases in Belgium by region (, COVID-19 confirmed cases in Belgium by day and region (. [171][172] In Belgium, around 46% of the COVID-19 deaths occurred in hospital and 53% occurred in care homes; and while the deaths in hospital are all confirmed by a test, only 5% of the deaths in care homes are confirmed by a test, the other 95% being suspected cases. [51] The FPS Health mentioned generally that "more and more infections are being contracted locally" but did not provide information on how many. [229][specify], The closures and bans ordered by the authorities led to cancellation of many events in the country. Feb [88] At that time the possibility of further infections could not be ruled out. Annonceurs - [152] On 25 March, PVDA-member of parliament Sofie Merckx [nl] complained that since 2009 the various governments had not renewed the strategic reserves of mouth masks due to cost cutting measures in the health care system. [26], On 1 March, a second case was confirmed in Belgium, a Dutch-speaking woman who had returned from Crépy-en-Valois in one of the regions affected in France.[27]. [92], On 1 March, as a second case of coronavirus was confirmed in Belgium, phase 2 of the health risk containment strategy was activated. Conditions générales d’utilisation - [234][235], The number of confirmed infections is the number of samples tested positive by a reference laboratory. 2020-05-06: 110 deaths reported for last 24h and 229 deaths in hospitals reported additionally for the period between 24 March and 4 May (inclusive). [60], By 14 March 689 cases were confirmed with four deaths. Jun Engie Electrabel assured that the safety of the nuclear power plant would not be compromised. [81] The percentage of positive COVID-19 cases of all samples taken has risen in September to more than 3%. a curfew is being imposed for the entire province. [59] The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen informed the entire staff that seven of their colleagues had tested positive, six of them in Belgium. Aug [Mis à jour le 22 décembre 2020 à 16h05] ... qui pourra être retardé par les régions jusqu'à 1h30 à Noël et au Nouvel An. It was more than 5% at the peak in April and less than 1% at the end of June. 18 residents later died.[87]. [47] Of the 50 people then infected one had recovered, 48 were quarantined in their homes and one person was being treated in the Sint-Pietersziekenhuis. Causing an underreporting of around 3000 deaths. La princesse Eléonore, le prince Gabriel, la reine Mathilde, le roi des Belges Philippe, la princesse Elisabeth et le prince Emmanuel de Belgique à Bruxelles, le 16 décembre 2020 the national public health institute of Belgium (. Last 15 days [173] The Netherlands on the other hand, only counted confirmed cases. [201][202] University of Antwerp, with the assistance of KU Leuven and Hasselt University, launched a study to assess the impact of the containment measures and the evolution of the epidemic in Belgium, through a series of online surveys. [example needed] For example, Chinese New Year celebrations were cancelled at the University of Leuven.[230][relevant? On 2 March, six additional cases, making a total of eight, had been diagnosed. Belgium had then passed the milestone of 100,000 confirmed coronavirus infections. [182] For example, between 5 March and 5 April, Belgium reported 2,373 COVID-19 deaths with the excess mortality being estimated around 3,000. The vaccines division of GlaxoSmithKline, which has its headquarters in Belgium, helped with providing its infrastructure and staff free of charge to carry out at least 6,000 PCR tests per day on their Rixensart site,[212] participating in an increase of the number of analyses in the country, as of 9 April. During the first wave in the spring, far fewer infections were detected. Nov [23], On 24 February, following the spread of the COVID-19 in northern Italy, a hundred Belgian citizens were put in quarantine in the H10 Costa Adeje Palace in Tenerife that was put on lockdown. [96] Schools remained open but are advised to cancel both trips abroad and multi-day excursions in general. ICU), New deaths per day in Belgium Coronavirus Cases: Diagnosed cases are an underestimate of the real number by a factor of between 5 and 10 according to Professor Marc Van Ranst. [48] The new cases were reported to be in Knokke-Heist, Zonhoven, Doomkerke [nl] (Ruiselede) and Vlierzele (part of Sint-Lievens-Houtem).[49]. [needs update]. [57], On 12 March, two new infections were detected as well as 32 suspected cases in retirement home Ter Kameren in Watermael-Boitsfort, one of the biggest retirement homes of the Brussels region. The FPS Health then reported local circulation of the virus in different parts of the country. As of 3 April 92 % of the fatalities in Belgium were 65 years of age and older, 0.6 % were younger than 45 years and 58 % were men. [165] Only on 21 April, masks were advised for all personnel in contact with patients. [110], While the number of tests capped at 3,500 and 4,500 a day, an increase in stocks of the required materials[further explanation needed] was announced early April by the Federal Minister Philippe De Backer, to improve the testing capacity to 10,000 tests a day. [50] The FPS Health then confirmed for the first time that infections had occurred in Belgium. [12] Such differences in methods of counting complicate any attempt to compare death rates in different countries. A case of a Belgian cat positive for Covid-19 On 18/03/2020, the FASFC, was informed by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Liège that viral RNA of the SARS-CoV2 virus (the aetiological agent of Covid-19) had been detected in the stools and vomits of a cat showing clinical signs of digestive and respiratory disease. [178], Belgian authorities however defend their strategy for being the most transparent and the most detailed method,[177] even if it results in numbers that are "sometimes overestimated". 21 July, three Chiro Flanders youth camps were canceled in West Flanders and Antwerp because 11 leaders were found to be infected. COVID-19 vaccines will likely treble or quadruple that number, depending on the number that are ultimately produced and secured by UNICEF. In an apparent effort at transparency, a daily epidemiological bulletin and a set of raw data are made available on the Belgian Institute for Health website. Belgium is among the countries with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths per head of population in the world. ), Tests and new confirmed cases per day in Belgium The authorities called this reinforced phase 2. (Data from the last two days still have to be consolidated by Sciensano. 48,5 procent minder auto's op de weg maar hamsteren veroorzaakt wel méér vrachtverkeer", "Corona does not necessarily imply less pollution", "Coronavirus lockdowns have changed the way Earth moves", "Coronavirus : pourquoi le nombre de cas détectés en Belgique ne représente pas grand-chose", "Marc Van Ranst: "Werkelijk aantal besmettingen ligt waarschijnlijk tien keer hoger, "Coronavirus en Belgique : combien y a-t-il de patients guéris ? The hotspot in Alken is thought to have been caused because of two parties that were allowed to gather over the weekend of 7 March. [71], Jan Eyckmans of the Federal Public Service Health claimed hospitals increased their number of ICUs from 1900 to 2650 over a period of two weeks time, corresponding to an increase from 16.5 to 23.0 ICUs per 100,000 inhabitants. We examine how different definitions and … [107] On 19 March, a shipment of 100,000 FFP2 respirators arrived. - L'Avenir [153], On 7 March, Marc Van Ranst confirmed Belgium was facing a shortage of reagents to do widespread COVID-19 testing, and the laboratory reference (National Reference Centre)[154] at the UZ Leuven was therefore forced to apply a triage system and to limit the number of tests. Last 15 days, On 2 February, nine Belgian nationals living in Hubei were repatriated on an evacuation flight landing at Melsbroek Air Base close to Brussels, before being transferred to the Military Hospital of Neder-Over-Heembeek where they underwent a 14-day quarantine and were tested for infection with the virus. It lasted 1 month. [167][168] In Brussels, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in 116 of the 146 care homes. [245], On 25 March 2020, Belgium ranked 6th in the list of EU countries with the highest numbers of casualties, while on 1 April Belgium had the third highest death toll after Italy and Spain. [41] The Flemish Agency for Care and Health advised the school not to close down. [120], The Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès addressed citizens twice via a web video, taking stock of the situation. Note: For some reason, Sciensano is using different age ranges for confirmed cases and for deaths. [164] These events led to severe criticism addressing the Flemish minister of public health Wouter Beke. [105] On 15 April, the containment measures were extended until the 3 May. Secretary of State Zuhal Demir urged the Turkish community in Limburg to abide by the quarantine measures. Visitors to a pub have to wear face coverings at least until they have found a seat. The youngest fatality overall in Belgium was a 12-year-old girl[243][244] while the oldest person to die was 104 years. [11] Unlike many other countries, which publish figures based primarily on confirmed hospital deaths, the death figures reported by the Belgian authorities include deaths in the community, especially in care homes, confirmed to have been caused by the coronavirus, as well as a much larger number of such deaths suspected to have been caused by the virus, even if the person was not tested. The new cases were amongst others reported in Houthalen, Melle, Lokeren, Mere, Lede, Tildonk and Poppel. The increased number of tests could partially but not fully explain the increasing number of infections. [239] The situation is similar in France. [246][247] Belgium counts deaths occurring both in hospitals and elsewhere, like in care homes. [159], After the closure, the sector requested more protective equipment, more training and guidelines for caretakers on how to handle infected patients, and more tests. [40] In Wevelgem, a family and a primary school teacher were diagnosed with the coronavirus upon their return from the North of Italy. Covid oblige, la Belgique refuse d’assouplir les règles pour les fêtes de fin d’année… Le public peut également contribuer, via la billetterie en ligne, à l’initiative en faisant don d’un repas de Nouvel An pour cinq euros. [70], On 30 March, it was announced that because of the high burden on some hospitals in the provinces of Limburg and Hainaut, a dispersal plan for ICU patients had been activated. [227], With bars, cafes and other businesses closed, Belgian breweries started delivering directly to people self-isolating at home. The dates above are the dates of reporting which can be different than the actual dates of diagnosis or death. [241] As of 5 April, Sciensano reported a total of 3,986 discharged patients since the 15 March. On 7 March 60 new cases were confirmed by the government (40 in Flanders, five in Brussels and 15 in Wallonia), bringing the total to 169 (105 in Flanders, 17 in Brussels, 46 in Wallonia and one recovered). ", "Talks on emergency government continue this afternoon", "De Wever wil zelf premier worden van noodregering, maar PS slaat al deur dicht", "PS en MR trekken stekker uit noodregering: "Tijdverlies, onze enige prioriteit is coronacrisis, "Formation fédérale - Un gouvernement de plein exercice mais dont le périmètre se limitera au coronavirus", "Le gouvernement Wilmès va être doté de pouvoirs spéciaux pendant 6 mois", "1.25 million people on temporary unemployment benefit", "Corona crisis hits production of Belgian fries", "Coronavirus is grounding the world's airlines", "Brussels Airlines temporarily suspends all its flights as of 21 March until 19 April", "Brussels Airlines extends the temporary suspension of its flights", "Brussels Airlines further extends the temporary suspension of its flights", "Coronavirus: How Belgium's breweries are adapting to lockdown", "Douaniers op onze luchthavens dragen voortaan mondmaskers: "Maar hier masker dragen tegen coronavirus heeft geen zin, "New figures confirm 45% less traffic on Flemish highways", "Files in coronacrisis? "Manier van tellen is anders, "Van Gucht: 'We trekken ons best niets aan van internationale ranking van coronadoden, "The trends of the last days seem to persist", "Waarom je coronacijfers van landen niet zomaar kunt vergelijken", "Coronavirus: Belgium's high death toll will deter tourists", "Nieuw gemor over Belgische rapportering coronadoden", "Belgium says transparency explains high virus death toll", "Coronavirus: Counting all deaths in care centres is 'dumb, "Why does Belgium have so many Coronavirus deaths? Companies were advised to have their personnel work from home as much as possible and allow flexible working times to allow a better spread of public transport use throughout the day. Oct [33][34] Steven Van Gucht of the Scientific Committee predicted that in the worst-case scenario the epidemic would cause 13,000 virus infections, with 2,000 to 3,000 hospitalisations and 500 to 700 patients in intensive care. Politique de cookies - Approximately 20 patients out of those 399 were being treated in intensive care.