New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 28 November - 4 December 2022

During the week of 28 November to 4 December, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 increased to 1,214 cases, compared to 1,164 cases the previous week.

In addition, 784 people were re-infected, representing 39.2% of all those who tested positive, compared to 721 (38.2%) the previous week.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 28 November to 4 December has increased from 7,271 to 7,542.

19 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 3,786. It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 4 December, the number of active infections has increased to 2,915 compared to 2,763 on 27 November, while the number of people healed increased from 302,676 to 303,730. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 43.9 years.

For the week of 28 November to 4 December, 8 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.

The average age of the deceased is 86 years.

In the hospitals, there were 22 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 23 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 1. The average age of hospitalised patients is 67 years.

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) increased, with 1,06% compared to 1,03% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) increased from 16.01% to 16.10%.

The 7-day incidence rate increased to 188 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 180 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week. By adding reinfections, the incidence rate is 311 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days and 608 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 increases in the age groups 0-59 years (+9%) and decreases in the 75+ age group (-9%). The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-4 age group with 101 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The highest incidence rate is recorded in the 90+ age group with 552 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by the 30-39 age group (with 450 cases for 100,000 inhabitants) and the 85-89 age group (with 431 cases for 100,000 inhabitants).

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 28 November to 4 December 2022, a total of 1,406 doses were administered. 9 people received a 1st dose, 22 a 2nd dose, 81 people received one complementary dose to a full vaccination, 1,249 received a second complementary dose to a full vaccination and 45 received a third complementary dose to a full vaccination and 0 a fourth complementary dose to a full vaccination, the total number of vaccines administered as of 5 November to 1,292,351.

474,860 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 79% of the eligible population (i.e. the 5+ population).

Exceptional closing of the Victor Hugo vaccination centre from 24.12.2022 to 02.01.2023.

The Victor Hugo vaccination centre will be exceptionally closed from 24 December 2022 to 2 January 2023.

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 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

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 47th and 48th week of 2022 shows a high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The situation regarding the contamination level of the waste water seems to be quite stable compared to the previous two weeks, although a very slight upward trend could be observed from week 47 onwards. The next results will be essential to know if this trend is confirmed.

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)