The number of people infected with the coronavirus disease in intensive care in Belgium might rise to the same levels that were observed in March and April, when the virus had its first peak, if the current evolution of the pandemic persists, spokesman for the country's COVID-19 crisis center Yves Van Laethem said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th October, 2020) The number of people infected with the coronavirus disease in intensive care in Belgium might rise to the same levels that were observed in March and April, when the virus had its first peak, if the current evolution of the pandemic persists, spokesman for the country's COVID-19 crisis center Yves Van Laethem said on Monday.
According to Laethem, 243 out of 1,329 coronavirus patients currently treated in Belgian hospitals remain in intensive care. The official noted that all indicators of the COVID-19 epidemic have been on the rise, according to the latest weekly report from October 2-8 provided by the Sciensano health institute, which he called an "alarming" sign.
"The doubling in intensive care is currently every 18 days. If such an increase was to continue, according to current patterns, we could reach around [COVID-19] 1000 patients in intensive care during the month of November. I recall that we had reached a figure of some 1250 patients during the first big wave [of the virus] in March and April," Yves Van�said, as cited by the RTBF broadcaster.
The official noted that the response center says there is a maximum of a little more than 2,000 beds the authorities would be able to provide for intensive care units across Belgium.
Although the 20-29 age group remains the largest among those infected, the virus is gradually shifting to older age groups, he added.
Belgium has been one of the countries battered worst by the pandemic regarding the death toll per 100,000 people. Amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, which has seen daily numbers growing since mid-September, the authorities have implemented and intensified restrictive measures. The most recent ones, adopted last week, include closures of bars, sports facilities and public places serving food. The most recent daily high of nearly 8,000 new COVID-19 cases was registered on October 11.
To date, the Belgium authorities have reported over 162,000 COVID-19 cases with a death toll of 10,191.
