The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 has decreased from 4,830 to 3,577 cases (-26%) for the week of 18 to 24 July 2022.
The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 18 to 24 July has decreased from 13,222 to 10,580.
37 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) for the reporting week, compared to 67 the previous week, bringing the number of positive results performed by a health-care worker to a total of 3,366. It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.
On 24 July, the number of active infections had decreased to 8,891 (compared to 10,797 on 17 July), while the number of people healed increased from 265,463 to 270,931. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 42.8 years.
For the week of 18 to 24 July, 0 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.
In the hospitals, there were 21 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 28 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 0. The average age of hospitalised patients is 56 years.
Positivity rate and incidence rate
For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) decreased, with 0.88% compared to 0.89% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) decreased from 36.55% to 33.81%.
The 7-day incidence rate decreased to 554 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 748 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week.
Re-infections as well as certified self-tests were included in the calculation of incidence rates. Compared to the previous week, the incidence rate has decreased in all age groups. 0-14 years (-47%), 15-29 years (-15%), 30-44 years (-23%), 45-59 years (-28%), 60-74 years (-28%), 75+ years (-30%).
The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-14 age group (398 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), while the highest incidence rate is recorded in the 30-44 age group with 1,010 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Contaminations
With the number of cases remaining high, it is difficult to identify, review and determine the likely source of infection, as well as the proportion of positive cases from residents who had travelled in the 14 days prior to the date of the result for the past week's cases.
Vaccinations: update on the situation
For the week of 18 to 24 July, a total of 6,385 doses were administered. 37 people received a 1st dose, 84 a 2nd dose, 484 people received one complementary dose to a full vaccination, 5,763 received a second complementary dose to a full vaccination and 17 received a third complementary dose to a full vaccination, bringing the total number of vaccines administered as of 25 July to 1,288,367.
474,286 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 78.9% of the eligible population (i.e. the 5+ population).
"Impf-Bus on tour"
The next stops of the "Impf-Bus on tour" will be announced on www.covidvaccination.lu.
Please note that the vaccination can be done without appointment (identity card and CNS card required). The type of vaccination offered is the initial vaccination and the booster dose.
Vaccinations in the "Impfbus" are done without prior appointment, which means that you have to wait for your turn, which can cause waiting times, especially during busy periods. In order to avoid long waiting times and for greater convenience, it is advisable to make an appointment at the vaccination centre, with a doctor or at a pharmacy.
Vaccination centre Hall Victor Hugo
A 4 th dose of COVID-19 vaccine can now be given to people aged 60 years and over, as well as to people with a written recommendation from their doctor and a risk factor for severe COVID-19.
On this occasion, the Victor Hugo vaccination centre will exceptionally reopen between 12 July and 13 August. People wishing to be vaccinated are also invited to take advantage of the vaccination facilities offered by town practices, pharmacies and the vaccination bus.
The list of all vaccination possibilities can be consulted on the following website: covidvaccination.lu
The evolution of the variants
Variant sequencing data is published every Friday on the website of the National Health Laboratory (Laboratoire national de Santé, LNS) https://lns.lu/en/publications-en/.
Wastewater monitoring in Luxembourg as part of SARS-CoV-2
From now on, the frequency of wastewater sampling will be reduced to one analysis per week.
As a result, summaries of the situation will be provided every two weeks instead of every week. 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)