New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 27 September to 3 October

During the week from 27 September to 3 October, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 remained relatively stable at 591 cases (+0.2%), while the number of their identified close contacts increased from 2,421 to 2,827 (+17%).

Among the 591 new infections, 374 people were not vaccinated or partially vaccinated (63.3%) and 217 people had a complete vaccination pattern (36.7%).

Among hospital admissions, 81.9% of normal care patients were not or partially vaccinated and 18.1% had a complete vaccination pattern, while 75.4% of intensive care patients were not or partially vaccinated and 24.6% had a complete vaccination pattern.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 27 September to 3 October has increased from 13.131 to 14.615.

10 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) for the reporting week, compared to 5 the previous week, bringing the number of positive results performed by a health-care worker to a total of 329. Since the introduction of self-tests, 804 positive results have been reported (with 0 cases for the week of 27 September to 3 October). It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 3 October, the number of active infections has slightly increased to 1,115 (from 1,068 on 26 September), while the number of people healed increased to 76,571. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 has slightly decreased from 30.6 to 29.1 years.

For the week of 27 to 3 October, no new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.

In the hospitals, the situation was stable, with 16 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, and with 8 occupied beds in the intensive care unit. The average age of inpatients is 56 years and has therefore not changed compared to the previous week.

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) remained stable at 1.06, whereas the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescription, contact tracing) slightly decreased from 4.49% to 4.04%, as well as the positivity rate for tests carried out on prescription, i.e. for people with symptoms, which decreased from 4.50% to 4.04%.

The 7-day incidence rate remains stable at 93 cases per 100,000 residents.

Compared to the previous week, the incidence rate has increased for the age groups 0-14 years (+21%) and 60-74 years (+16%). The incidence rate has decreased for the age groups 15-29 years (-6%), 30-44 years (-15%) and 45-59 years (-11%).

The 0-14 years age group has the highest incidence rate with 201 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which is 2.2 times higher than the incidence rate of the general population (93 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The 0-14 years age group accounts for 35% of all cases of the week, although it represents 15% of the country's population.

The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the age groups 75+ and 60-74 years.

Quarantine and isolation

During the week of 27 September to 3 October, 1,248 people were in isolation (+2%) and 3,247 in quarantine (+28%).

Contaminations

For the 591 new cases, the family circle remains the most frequent source of transmission of COVID-19 infections with 30.5%, followed by education (20.2%), particularly primary education (14.5%), travel abroad (7.4%) and leisure activities (6.2%). The rate of contamination for which the source is not clearly attributable increased to 30.5%.

Scenario 4 at the primary school in Reuler

Between 27 September and 5 October 2021, in Schoulzenter Reiler (municipality of Clervaux), 32 people tested positive for COVID-19 by antigenic self-test or PCR test. 14 out of 22 classes in cycles 2 to 4 are affected.

Due to the rapid spread of the virus and the mixing of pupils from different classes and schools (Schoulzenter Reiler and the Edward Steichen International School) within the Maison relais, reinforced measures are put in place.

  • The permission to leave quarantine to attend school and childcare facilities provided for in scenarios 1 (one case) and 2 (two cases) is cancelled as of the second positive case, or even as of the first positive case if it is an adult.
  • Antigen self-tests are used daily in classes not yet affected by positive cases or in scenario 1.

As provided for in the sanitary measures, people who have been vaccinated or recovered are not affected by the quarantines.

Furthermore, in the Weiswampach primary school, although not a scenario 4 (a link between the infections could not be established), 14 positive cases were diagnosed in 8 classes between 27 September and 6 October, showing a high prevalence of the virus in the north of the country. The situation is being closely monitored and the necessary measures will be taken as the cases evolve.

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 27 to 3 September, a total of 8,686 doses were administered. 1,877 people received a 1st dose, 2,739 a 2nd dose and 4,070 a 3rd dose, bringing the total number of vaccines administered as of 5 October to 789,773. 407,465 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 74% of the eligible population (i.e. the 12+ population).

Upcoming events of the "Impf-Bus on tour"

The vaccination bus will be present at the following events:

  • 07/10 11am – 3pm Zone d'activité économique Sanem – Gadderscheier
  • 08/10 10am – 4pm Supermarché Cora Foetz
  • 08/10 11am – 5pm City Concorde Bertrange
  • 09/10 9:30am – 1pm Veiner Nëssmoort Vianden
  • 09/10 11am – 3pm Nordstrooss Shopping Mile Marnach

The next stops of the "Impf-Bus on tour" will also be announced on www.covidvaccination.lu.

Please note that the vaccination can be done without appointment (identity card and CNS card required). People who come for their 2nd dose must also bring their vaccination certificate for the 1st dose.

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 contamination level of the 13 analysed waste water treatment plants by the LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology), during the week of 27 September to 3 October indicates a high prevalence of the virus in waste water at national level. A significant increase in virus circulation was observed at the beginning of the week and was also confirmed at the end of the same 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)

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