New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 24 - 30 October 2022

During the week of 24 to 30 October, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 decreased to 1,560 cases, compared to 2,384 cases the previous week.

In addition, 688 people were re-infected, representing 30.6% of all those who tested positive, compared to 962 (28.7%) the previous week.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 24 to 30 October has decreased from 9,159 to 7,555.

27 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) for the reporting week, compared to 38 the previous week, bringing the number of positive results performed by a health-care worker to a total of 3,682. It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 30 October, the number of active infections has decreased to 4,420 (from 5,729 on 23 October), while the number of people healed increased from 294,147 to 297,025. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 46.9 years.

For the week of 24 to 30 October, 2 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.

The average age of the deceased is 87 years.

In the hospitals, there were 30 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 30 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 1. The average age of hospitalised patients is 65 years.

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) decreased, with 0.75% compared to 0.88% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) decreased from 26.03% to 20.65%.

The 7-day incidence rate decreased to 242 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 369 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week.

By adding reinfections, the incidence rate is 354 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days and 875 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days (source INSA). Compared to the previous week, the incidence rate has decreased in all age groups. The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-4 age group with 81 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence rate is recorded in the 90+ age group with 976 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 24 to 30 October 2022, a total of 2,812 doses were administered. 29 people received a 1st dose, 12 a 2nd dose, 154 people received one complementary dose to a full vaccination, 2.516 received a second complementary dose to a full vaccination and 101 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 1 November to 1,291,616.

474,752 people have a complete vaccination pattern, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 78.9% of the eligible population (i.e. the 5+ population).

Contact tracing: How to receive your isolation prescription

With the new law COVID-19, which has been in force since 27 October, the contact tracing has ended.

If you have tested positive by performing a PCR test, you will receive an SMS from the National Health Directorate from the following number: (+352)  621  203  000.

To obtain your isolation prescription, you can fill in the self-declaration form with the REFCP reference at www.covidtracing.lu.

As a reminder: since 27 October, the duration of isolation in case of a COVID infection has been reduced from 7 to 4 days. A further reduction of the isolation period is possible if two negative antigen self-tests are performed at least 24 hours apart. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

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.

The next report is planned for Tuesday 9 November and will contain data for weeks 42 and 43.

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)