27 March 2021: It’s lockdown #3. What lockdown?

27 March 2021: The number of new infections is continuing to rise. On average in the week to 23March, 4,529 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed each day.  There are currently 2,492 patients with COVID-19 that are being cared for in Belgian hospitals. The sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 patients on intensive care wards is a particular cause for concern. There are currently 651 COVID-19 patients on the intensive care wards. We are now reaching levels that we have not seen since the second wave. Nevertheless, it isn't all doom and gloom says Steven Van Gucht, one of Belgium’s lead virologists. The pace at which the coronavirus figures have been increasing has slowed in recent days. He believes that if we stick to the recently announced measures, we can possibly have reached a peak in the number of infections within a week and once we have beaten this wave the worst of the pandemic will be over. Looking at all the activity that still has been going on over the last couple of days, I think this is very ambitious, but it’s weekend and we can allow ourselves some optimism – St Peter’s Square, Ghent, Belgium.