This week, the number of new infections increased slightly, Marc Van Ranst wants to be reassuring.
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ATwhen cafes and restaurants are allowed to reopen on Monday, the number of new coronavirus infections has increased. Is this bad news? Virologist Marc Van Ranst wants to be reassuring on VTM NEWS. “We are not worried at the moment. “
The number of infections is increasing slightly this week: 70 new infections were reported on Wednesday, 82 on Thursday and 140 again yesterday. This Saturday, the counter is again 165 new infections. But don’t panic, it may be the weekend effect, said Van Ranst. After the weekend, the numbers are temporarily lower because many people don’t get to the doctor or hospital as quickly. The effect is offset again later in the week, so the numbers go up for a while.
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“We are not worried at the moment because we are still seeing the seven-day average drop,” said Marc Van Ranst. “If these figures remain high in the coming days, we will of course speak of stabilization. At that point, there will be a need for a reassessment, but that is not yet the case.
Second wave
“Each release that happened has been a pivotal moment, and each time we have held our breath. But so far, the situation is not so bad and the curve continues to reverse. We hope that will be the case again, but we still have to wait and see, ”said the virologist.
“We may not have a second wave, but if it does happen, the expectations are very high. People are now expecting the medical and community to keep this second wave under control, and it is very difficult, “he said. “We have wanted to stop the flu epidemics for decades, but we have never been successful. If a second wave occurs, we will suffer. ”
What if he goes to the cafe next week? “I will definitely have a coffee or a sandwich somewhere,” confirms Van Ranst.
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