Belgian hospitals treat less than 5,000 virus patients

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - Currently, 4,920 patients are treated in hospitals in Belgiums, with 1,071 of them in intensive care units, the health authorities announced on Monday.

While 232 patients were admitted to hospitals, 138 were discharged after recovery.

As many as 1,487 more new coronavirus cases were reported in Belgium over the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 39,983.

The case numbers rose as the Belgian government launched a large-scale testing campaign in elderly care institutions two weeks ago.

According to the latest data from the Federal Public Service of Health, 687 of the recently diagnosed patients live in nursing homes.

In total, health authorities have conducted 161,896 tests so far, and in the past day, 8,118 people were tested for COVID-19.

The government's aim is to carry out more than 200,000 tests in nursing homes in the upcoming weeks, including residents and staff members.

Over the past 24 hours, 168 people lost their lives due to the pandemic, while the current death toll is 5,828.

The federal government led by Sophie de Wilmes ordered strict limitations on public life in mid-March.

People are only allowed to leave their homes for buying food and medicine, visiting a doctor, helping someone in need or going to work -- unless home office is an option for them.

They can also take a walk outside with their family members from the same household, but they are required to keep a 1.5-meter distance from others.

So far, only supermarkets, and pharmacies could stay open.

Gardening and do-it-yourself stores reopened on Saturday the first time after a month as a part of a slight relaxation of the rules decided last week.

“Principally and at most of the places, the reopening went smoothly,” Yves Stevens, the spokesperson of the National Crisis Center confirmed on Monday.

He also added that the pandemic curve shows promising signs, but it can’t be interpreted as a call to suddenly quit lockdown measures. “The curve needs to drop further. We need to persist,” Stevens said.

Current restrictions will remain in force until May 3.

Since appearing in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center.

More than 2.41 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with nearly 166,000 deaths, and over 632,400 recoveries.