New COVID-19 cases - Weekly review: 21 - 27 November 2022

During the week of 21 to 27 November, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 increased to 1,164 cases, compared to 1,057 cases the previous week.

In addition, 721 people were re-infected, representing 38.2% of all those who tested positive, compared to 622 (37.0%) the previous week.

The number of PCR tests performed during the week of 21 to 27 November has increased from 6,578 to 7,271.

35 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 3,767. It should be noted that positive RATs are not included in the calculation of the positivity rate.

As of 27 November, the number of active infections has increased to 2,750 compared to 2,486 on 20 November, while the number of people healed increased from 301,791 to 302,689. The average age of those diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 is 44.4 years.

For the week of 21 to 27 November, 2 new deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported.

The average age of the deceased is 70 years.

In the hospitals, there were 23 new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients in normal care, compared to 17 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 2. The average age of hospitalised patients is 60 years. 

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the reference period, the effective reproduction rate (R) decreased, with 1.03% compared to 1.13% the previous week, while the positivity rate on all tests performed (prescriptions, contact tracing) decreased from 16.08% to 16.01%.

The 7-day incidence rate increased to 180 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 164 per 100,000 inhabitants the previous week. By adding reinfections, the incidence rate is 298 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days and 559 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 all age groups, except in the 0-4 age group and the 55-64 age group. The largest increase was recorded in the 85-89 age group (+82%), followed by the 90+ age group (+50%) and the 15-19 age group (+54%) The lowest incidence rate is recorded in the 0-4 age group with 68 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence rate is recorded in the 90+ age group with 637 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and the 85-89 age group with 507 cases for 100,000 inhabitants.

Vaccinations: update on the situation

For the week of 21 to 27 November 2022, a total of 1.635 doses were administered. 19 people received a 1st dose, 19 a 2nd dose, 103 people received one complementary dose to a full vaccination, 1,434 received a second complementary dose to a full vaccination and 59 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 28 November to 1,292,235.

474,836 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 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 6 December and will contain data for weeks 47 and 48.

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)