This is a position of world leader which Belgium would have done well. With 313 new deaths recorded in 24 hours, the country now has 5,163 coronavirus-related deaths.
If we take into account the number of deaths per million inhabitants, Belgium (445) thus comes at the top of a sad ranking where only the micro-states of San Marino and Andorra - but with less than 40 deaths each - precede it.
With its 11.5 million inhabitants, it greatly exceeds its British (215) and French (274) neighbors, but also now Spain (413) and the United States (105).
An exhaustive census
The country's exposure is now such that the Prime Minister, Sophie Wilmès, had to explain it on Wednesday evening, after a new crisis meeting devoted to the pandemic. Belgium, she said, "has made the choice of the greatest transparency in the communication of deaths linked to Covid-19, even if it means integrating figures that are sometimes overvalued".
Concretely, the health authorities add to the deaths in hospital those occurring in retirement homes where the virus is wreaking havoc. Of the 5,163 dead, just over half (2,586) were identified there.
In addition, in these establishments (around 1,500 in the country), the census is exhaustive since deaths suspected of being linked to the coronavirus are counted without this having necessarily been proved by a test, which is not the choice of 'other European countries.
"Everyone cheats, except Belgium"
"In Europe, no country counts like the others," said Thursday the Minister of Health, Maggie De Block. With us, we have the most detailed way. "
“Everyone cheats, except Belgium, deplored on RTL Henri Lewalle, craftsman of many cross-border health cooperation. In Belgium, everything that is suspicious is considered to be linked to the coronavirus. The Dutch, for example, are big liars. If we analyze their figures, which do not take into account deaths in retirement homes, they are no better than ours. "
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This large Belgian accounting "is necessary", argued Dr. Emmanuel André, one of the spokespersons of the health authorities. According to this virologist, "it is good practice to take suspect cases into account" to monitor an epidemic. Deaths linked to Covid-19 confirmed by a positive test were, however, so far very minority in retirement homes (around 5%). According to Dr. André, the multiplication of screenings will make the proportion jump in the days to come. This will better measure the presence of the virus.
"The real issue is our health services"
The country, where confinement has been extended until May 3, has, as of April 17, 36,138 cases confirmed by a test so far: 21,085 (58%) in Flanders, 10,909 (30%) in Wallonia , and 3611 (10%) in Brussels. 5,161 patients with the virus are still hospitalized, of which 1,140 are in intensive care, figures down.
"What matters, in the end, is whether we are able to manage an epidemic," concludes Henri Lewalle. Each country plays to be the most beautiful by presenting the figures in its own way. But the real issue is our health services, and we can clearly see that globalization has deprived them of many essential equipments in an epidemic situation. "