Belgium to apply 200,000 virus tests in nursing homes

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - In Belgium, over the past 24 hours, 1,236 new coronavirus infections and 417 deaths were registered, the country's health authorities announced on Thursday.

This brings the total number of cases to 34,809 and death toll to 4,857, according to the latest data of the Federal Public Service of Health.

- Testing in elderly homes

Belgian authorities explained the high numbers by statistical and reporting methods that are more vigorous than in other European countries.

For example, 198 people out of the 417 recently registered victims of COVID-19, were never tested for the coronavirus.

Authorities only highly suspected that based on their coronavirus-like symptoms these elderly people treated in nursing centers passed away due to the virus.

As many as 13,544 tests have been applied in nursing homes since authorities decided last week to systematically test these facilities.

But regions show great diversity in testing protocol due to the fact that regional governments are responsible for running the health system, not the federal government.

While in Flanders, 6,126 residents and 3,004 staff members were tested, Wallonia mainly focused on workers, carrying out 3,824 tests and checking only 139 elderly people.

Authorities plan to apply 200,000 tests in nursing homes in the upcoming weeks.

For the moment, 6,000 tests are carried out every day, including all potential patients.

- 'Medicine shortage scandal'

In the meantime, there is a growing scandal reported by local media about medicine shortage.

Doctors were provided by drugs meant for treatment of dogs and cats because of the shortage, Phillipe Devos, the director of the intensive care unit in Liege Hospital, complained in an interview to the LN24 news channel on Wednesday.

He also explained that 60% of the hospitals are only provided supplies for seven days in case of 21-day treatments.

Federal Health Minister Maggie De Block denied the accusations, but the doctor called her statement “fake news” in a Thursday interview, adding that “doctors shouldn’t be held responsible for the errors of medicine supply made by a failed state".

The federal government extended on Wednesday lockdown measures till May 3.

Since appearing in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center.

More than 2.07 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with nearly 138,100 deaths, and over 525,300 recovered.