New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 14 - 20 November 2022

During the week of 14 to 20 November, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 increased to 1,057 cases, compared to 913 cases the previous week.

In addition, 622 people were re-infected, representing 37% of all those who tested positive, compared to 518 (36.2%) the previous week.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 14 to 20 November has increased from 6,475 to 6,559.

15 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) for the reporting week, bringing the number of positive results performed by a health-care worker to a total of 3,732. It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 20 November, the number of active infections has increased to 2,473 compared to 2,315 on 13 November, while the number of people healed increased from 300,909 to 301,804. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 45.9 years.

For the week of 14 to 20 November, 4 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.

The average age of the deceased is 67 years.

In the hospitals, there were 17 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 14 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 2. The average age of hospitalised patients is 61 years. 

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) increased, with 1.13% compared to 0.97% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) increased from 14.10% to 16.12%.

The 7-day incidence rate increased to 164 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 142 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week. By adding reinfections, the incidence rate is 261 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days and 485 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days (source INSA).

Re-infections as well as certified self-tests were included in the calculation of incidence rates by age group (source INSA). Compared to the previous week, the incidence rate has increased in the 90+ age (67%) and the 10-14 age group (67%) it decreased in the 0-4 age group (-5%), the 15-19 age group (-8%), the 65-69 age group (-13%) and the 75-79 age group (-6%).

The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-4 age group with 86 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence rate is recorded in the 90+ age group with 425 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. 

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 14 to 20 November 2022, a total of 1,669 doses were administered. 15 people received a 1st dose, 24 a 2nd dose, 119 people received one complementary dose to a full vaccination, 1,445 received a second complementary dose to a full vaccination and 65 received a third complementary dose to a full vaccination and 1 a fourth complementary dose to a full vaccination, the total number of vaccines administered as of 21 November to 1,292,074.

474,814 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 79% of the eligible population (i.e. the 5+ population).

Closure of the vaccination centre Esch-Belval

The Esch-Belval vaccination centre will close its doors on Saturday 26 November at 1pm. The last possible time slot to be vaccinated will therefore be Saturday 26 November form 7am to 1pm.

Contact tracing: How to receive your isolation prescription

With the new law COVID-19, the functioning of contact tracing has been adapted: If you test positive for COVID-19, stay in isolation/self-isolate. To obtain your isolation prescription, you can fill in the self-declaration form with the REFCP reference at https://covid19.lu.

An SMS from the following sending number +352 621 203 000 will also be sent to those who tested positive for COVID-19.

Further details on covidtracing.lu.

Vaccination possibilites

The list of all vaccination possibilities can be consulted on the following website: www.covidvaccination.lu ​

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/publications-en/.

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

The CORONASTEP report is published every 15 days.

According to the latest CORONASTEP report drawn up by the LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology), the contamination level of the 13 wastewater treatment plants analysed during the 45th and 46th week of 2022 shows a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The decrease in the flow, which has been observed during week 44 was also confirmed at national level. 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)