Coronavirus outbreak pushes Belgium to witness 'deadliest April' since WW II

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to tighten its grip even months after it was first discovered, a new study has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought deadliest April for Belgium since World War II. The country has now begun to ease some of its restrictions imposed to curb the further spread of the novel virus after recording 55,559 cases of the disease and 9,080 deaths. The research by Vrije Universiteit Brussel states that 14,790 people have died in the country last month, which is also the highest mortality rate that the country witnessed since Nazi occupation in the 1940s.

April is known to record a fall in Belgium’s death rate as the weather soothes down to spring after a harsh winter. The VUB said in the statement that the mortality in Belgium is “exceptionally high, reaching unprecedented levels” especially in the first week of April, that is from April 1 to April 12. According to the university, on April 10, the country recorded at least 639 deaths which is “more than double the number that would have been expected for that day”. 

The statement said, “April 2020 was the deadliest April since the Second World War, both in absolute numbers and per capita.”

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Another observation made by the researchers at Brussels university states that the registration of the deaths due to coronavirus infections is “almost completely equivalent to the measures excess mortality”. Therefore, the hike in mortality of the country “can be fully attributed” to the COVID-19 pandemic according to VUB. There have been many premature deaths of people in the age group for 65 and 84, while in the worst-affected districts of Belgium, additional deaths have been witnessed of people in the 45-64 group. 

According to VUB, “The most seriously affected arrondissements for this period is Mons, followed by Brussels and Hasselt. Hasselt includes Sint-Truiden and Alken, which both suffered high excess mortality.”

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‘COVID-19 is biggest challenge’

The VUB research came in synergy with the statements made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who called the coronavirus outbreak as ‘biggest challenge’ since World War II. Last month, the UN head said that the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic “probably has no parallel in the recent past”. After originating from China in late December 2019, the coronavirus has infected more than 4.8 million people and caused 318,763 deaths. According to Guterres, the global health crisis is the ‘greatest test’ the global community has faced since the peace-keeping body, the United Nations was formed.

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Image Source: AP