BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) – Belgium could fall short of beds in intensive care units within two weeks if the number of people in hospitals continue to go by or rise at its current rate, an official said on Wednesday.
New cases doubled every thirteen days and hit a peak of more than 18,000 on October 20.
The number of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) is doubling every eight days, to 757 as of Sunday, with 4,827 people in hospitals.
Health Ministry spokesman Yves Van Laethem told a news conference Belgium’s maximum capacity of 2,000 ICU beds might be reached in two weeks if the spike continues.
Van Laethem said, “Within four days, by the end of the week, we should pass the milestone of 1,000 patients in intensive care.”
“If the curve doesn’t change with our behaviour, we should reach 2,000 patients in intensive care in two weeks, our maximum capacity.”
Brussels ordered on Saturday all sport and cultural facilities to be closed and residents will face a longer curfew from Monday.
On the same day, 590 people were hospitalised in the country.
Belgium had 1,288 new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 residents in the past week. With 10,810 total deaths, it has one of the highest per capita fatality rates in the world.