Labs in Belgium unable to cope with surging demand for COVID-19 tests

Private labs seek government help as virus cases spike across Belgium

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – Laboratories in Belgium are struggling to cope with the demand for COVID-19 tests amid a rapidly rising number of infections, local media reported on Monday.

According to daily De Morgen, the surge in COVID-19 cases has pushed many private facilities in charge of processing PCR tests to seek help from the federal network of laboratories, especially in the Flanders region.

At the same time, the national testing platform is also facing capacity problems since the government slashed monthly funding from €720,000 ($813,000) to €270,000 ($305,000) per lab last month.

The reason for the cut was that labs were not delivering the daily target of 2,000 tests because of decreased demand.

The rise in demand for PCR tests is also attributed to the fact that unvaccinated people need to show negative results to enter cafes and restaurants and participate in events with more than 50 people.

New measures to curb the virus spike entered into force in Belgium on Monday, including working from home being mandatory for four days a week, except for sectors that require physical presence of workers.

Everyone above the age of 10 is required to wear a mask on public transport, at restaurants and other entertainment venues, indoor events with over 50 people and outdoor events with more than 100 people.

“There is a real explosion in infections. We must intervene everywhere, and we have to do it strongly,” Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said as he announced the new rules last week.

More than 21,500 COVID-19 infections were reported in the country on Friday, while the average for daily cases was close to 14,000 last week.

Despite the alarming jump in infections, thousands of people turned out for huge protests against the tightened restrictions over the weekend.

Some 35,000 people marched in the capital Brussels and police had to use tear gas and water cannons as the protesters threw objects at officers, damaged cars, and set garbage bins on fire.

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