New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 13 - 19 December

The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 has increased from 2,593 to 2,727 cases (+5%) for the week of 13 to 19 December.

Among the 2,727 new infections, the incidence rate of positive non-vaccinated persons is 723.08 per 100,000 inhabitants and 288.43 per 100,000 inhabitants for those who had a complete vaccination schedule.

It should be noted that non-vaccinated people are more than twice as likely to be infected as people with a full vaccination pattern.

Among hospital admissions, 28 out of 58 patients in normal care were not vaccinated (30 had a complete vaccination pattern), while 16 out of 22 patients of intensive care were not vaccinated.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 13 to 19 December has increased from 30,536 to 30,921.

59 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) for the reporting week, compared to 41 the previous week, bringing the number of positive results performed by a health-care worker to a total of 676. Since the introduction of self-tests, 804 positive results have been reported (with 0 cases for the week of 13 to 19 December). It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 19 December, the number of active infections has increased to 5,413 compared to 5,343 on 12 December, while the number of people healed increased from 88,065 to 90,713. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 32.2 years.

For the week of 13 to 19 December, 9 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported. The average age of the deceased is 78 years.

In the hospitals, there were 58 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 55 the previous week. The number of people in intensive care has slightly decreased to 22 (compared to 23 for the week of 6 to 12 December). The average age of patients increased from 56 to 64 years.

Positivity rate  and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) increased, with 1.00% compared to 0.98% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) increased from 8.49% to 8.82%.

The 7-day incidence rate increased to 430 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 408 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week.

Compared to the previous week, the incidence rate has increased in all age groups, except in the 30-44 age group (-2%) and 60-74 years (-20%). The most significant increase is recorded in the age groups

0-14 years (+16%), followed by the 45-59 years (+13%). The highest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-14 age group with 773 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 75+ age group, with 140 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Quarantine and isolation

During the week of 13 to 19 December, 5,795 people were in isolation (+3%) and 4,283 in quarantine (-39%).

Contaminations

For the 2,727 new cases (recorded between 13 to 19 December 2021), the family circle remains the most frequent source of transmission of COVID-19 infections with 37.4%, followed by education (15.8%), mostly in primary education (11.0%), work (6.0%) and leisure activities (3.9%). The percentage of undetermined sources has decreased (31.6%).

Specific cases in the educational environment

"Vauban École" and "Lycée français de Luxembourg"

A high number of cases were observed in the primary school of the group "Vauban École" and the "Lycée français de Luxembourg" between 13 and 19 December 2021. 72 children were diagnosed as positive. 28 classes were affected by sanitary measures, with the majority in scenario 1 or 2, nine classes were placed in scenario 3. 10 of the positive cases had no impact on the organisation of classes.

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 13 to 19 December, a total of 40,755 doses were administered. 4,012 people received a 1st dose, 2,890 a 2nd dose and 33,853 people received a complementary dose to a full vaccination, bringing the total number of vaccines administered as of 22 December to 1,025,856.

440,854 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 79.7% of the eligible population (i.e. the 12+ population).

'Booster' dose: Temporary reopening of a 5th vaccination centre at Luxexpo The Box

In the context of the shortening of the time between the initial vaccination and the booster vaccination and taking into account an acceleration of the  deliveries of vaccines, the government has decided to temporarily reopen, as from 10 January 2022, a fifth vaccination centre at Luxexpo The Box (Luxembourg-Kirchberg). The vaccination centre will be open for an initial period from 10 to 15 January, which may be extended depending on the next deliveries of vaccines on Luxembourg territory.

The vaccination centre will be used exclusively for the administration of booster doses by appointment.

Appointments for this vaccination centre will be available from this evening on www.guichet.lu.

The booster dose can of course be administered, without any invitation from the Government, by the general practitioner or in a "Pop Up" vaccination spot.

"Pop Up" Vaccination: Lëtzebuerg léisst sech impfen

To increase vaccination coverage, the Government has decided to facilitate access to vaccination by deploying temporary vaccination spots ("Pop Up" Vaccination) and mobile teams will be present in high-traffic areas (pedestrian zones, shopping malls, events organised by some municipalities).

The list of all new vaccination spots, which is constantly being extended and updated, can be consulted on the website covidvaccination.lu

Opening hours during public holidays: Vaccination centres, Pop-Up, Helpline

Please note that the opening hours of the vaccination centres and pop-up stations as well as the helpline will change for the holiday period. Further details on  covidvaccination.lu.

Vaccination centres

  • 24.12.2021: 7am - 2pm
  • 25.12.2021: closed
  • 26.12.2021: closed
  • 31.12.2021: 7am - 2pm
  • 01.01.2022: closed

Helpline

  • 24.12.2021: 7.30am - 12pm
  • 25.12.2021: closed
  • 26.12.2021: closed
  • 31.12.2021.: 7.30am - 12pm
  • 01.01.2022: closed

The evolution of the variants

Variant sequencing data are published every Friday on the website of the National Health Laboratory (Laboratoire national de Santé, LNS) https://lns.lu/en/departement/department-of-microbiology/revilux/.

Wastewater monitoring in Luxembourg as part of SARS-CoV-2 

The level of contamination of the 13 sampled wastewater treatment plants studied by the LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) during the week of 13 to 19 December showed a still high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater at national level. This week's results show a similar flow of SARS-CoV-2 as the last 2 weeks, with a stabilisation of the signal at a high level. A similar trend is also observed at regional level for most of the treatment plants analysed, with no regional disparities. All CORONASTEP reports are available on the LIST website: https://www.list.lu/en/covid-19/coronastep/.

Press release by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, the National Health Laboratory (LNS) and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)

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