Belgium: Virus cases near 50,000 as deaths drop

The number of coronavirus cases in Belgium moved close to 50,000 on Saturday, with nearly 8,000 deaths.

The Federal Public Health Service recorded 485 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 49,517.

The death toll rose to 7,765 with 82 more fatalities, the first time since March 29 that fewer than 100 patients have died in a day.

Following 128 additions on Friday, a total of 3,111 patients are currently in hospital, with the number in intensive care down by 60 to 689.

Recoveries since March 15 reached 12,211 after 319 more patients were discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours.

More than 3.35 million cases have been reported in 187 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China last December, with the US and Europe the world’s hardest-hit areas.

A significant number of COVID-19 patients – over 1.05 million – have recovered, but the disease has also claimed close to 240,000 lives so far, according to data compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.