Belgium Reports High COVID-19 Infection Rates Among Travelers from Morocco and Other Countries

Sciensano focused on travelers, who have filled out a PLF, and who have mostly arrived in Belgium between January 4 and 10, reports Belga. Thus, 9.4% of travelers returning from Romania, 5.6% of those returning from Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, 4.9% of those returning from Poland and Turkey tested positive for the coronavirus. They are followed by the United Kingdom (4.4%), Switzerland (2.9%), France (2.4%), Germany (2.2%), Bulgaria (2%) and Italy (1.9%). The Netherlands (1%) and Greece (0.4%) close the podium. Out of the 54,074 travelers who filled out a PLF and were tested, 1,850 were positive, it is specified.

"I thought the rate was even 12% for travelers returning from Romania," admits virologist Yves Van Laethem, spokesperson for the Covid Crisis Center. In any case, these figures clearly show that it is people who have returned for a long time to their family abroad who are most at risk of being infected. This is quite normal because we respect barrier gestures much less within our own family."