Belgium Moves Brussels Motor Show To Early 2022 Over Pandemic - Organizers

BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th October, 2020) The Brussels Motor Show, initially scheduled for January 2021, has been postponed to early 2022 over the worsening epidemiological situation in Belgium, the event's organizers said.

"Now that the pandemic is rapidly gaining momentum again, FEBIAC [Belgian and Luxembourg Federation of automobile and Cycle, the event's organizer] must understand that we cannot organize a 'physical' car show. We do not want to undermine in any way the security measures and restrictions on contacts that the government expects from every citizen and organization," Pierre Lalmand, the event's director, told the Belgian VRT public broadcaster on Monday.

According to the organizers, the motor show has been planned to take place from January 14-23 next year.

Amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Belgium, which has seen daily numbers growing since mid-September, the authorities have implemented and intensified restrictive measures. The new measures adopted last week include closures of bars, sports facilities and public places serving food.

Regional authorities are now allowed to take additional measures depending on the epidemiological situation in their locality. The Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant and Luxembourg have already introduced curfews.

The coronavirus response center said on Monday that despite the measures taken, the growing spread of the virus could not be contained. Over the past week, more than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases were recorded daily, however, every 1 in 10 COVID-19 tests in Belgium comes back positive.

To date, the Belgian health authorities have reported over 165,000 COVID-19 cases with a death toll of 10,211.