26 October 2020: The rate at which corona spreads is frightening.

26 October 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – On Saturday 590 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to Belgian hospitals. This is the second highest daily number of hospital admissions since the start of the public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus. The highest number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital in one day so far was on 28 March when 629 patients were admitted. Meanwhile, there is a consensus among most virologists and some political parties that tougher measures are necessary to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 with some of them even using the word “lockdown”. Despite this outcry and despite that most European countries are returning to tougher restrictions the Flemish government decided not to further tighten the coronavirus measures for the time being. The Flemish Prime Minister, Jan Jambon from the right-wing populist party NVA, asked if he should start spraying his own house with water because it might catch fire. I’m seriously questioning the Flemish government’s cavalier approach to the worst health crisis in a century. What will it take before they decide that the house IS on fire? Anyhow, in my search for beauty in the ugly and mondain I continue to picture Ghent in the gold light of dusk – Portus Ganda, Ghent, Belgium.