The method of calculating deaths from coronavirus adopted by Belgium is that of taking the widest possible account into account. The objective? Get a better overview of the spread of the virus.
What does that mean ? Unlike other countries, the calculation method adopted in Belgium takes into account deaths which could not be tested but which were suspected cases of Covid-19. Insofar as the tests are not (yet?) Generalized, Belgium has therefore opted for a more comprehensive method. This also has the consequence of having a significant number of deaths.
Confirmed vs suspicious cases
For example, this Wednesday, the inter-federal crisis center for the fight against the coronavirus announced in its daily report 283 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. Of these deaths, 179 were reported from nursing homes. BUT, the report of sciensano specifies that of these 179, 5 are well confirmed by a coronavirus test while 174 would be supposed. In other words, 174 have not been tested but are suspected of coronavirus.
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Emmanuel André, spokesperson for the crisis center, explained on Wednesday that “The best of which we count deaths aims to give us the best overview”.
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This system of counting which would place us among the most “fair”, in comparison with other countries, even if that should not make us lose sight of the fact that the situation can obviously be different elsewhere, specifies the center of crisis.
No more deaths?
However, this also partly explains why the number of coronavirus-related deaths seems so high in Belgium. Indeed, if we only count confirmed cases, that is to say people who died in hospitals, Belgium would count, to date, 2252 deaths. However the assessment of this Wednesday, April 15 deplores 4440 dead. Or almost double.
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