On Thursday 22 December 2022, Luxembourg's Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth, the National Health Laboratory (LNS) and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), published a review of the week of 12-18 December in relation to COVID-19.

During this one-week period, the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 increased to 1,464 cases from 1,440 cases the previous week; to this number are added 1,110 reinfections, or 43.1% of all people who tested positive against 980 (40.5%) the previous week. The number of PCR tests performed during the week in question increased from 8,595 to 9,098.

42 people reported a positive rapid antigen test (TAR) for the week, bringing the number of positive results from TAR performed by a healthcare professional to a total of 3,855 (note: positive rapid antigen tests are not taken into account in the calculation of the positivity rate).

As of 18 December, the number of active infections increased to 3,445 from 3,217 on 11 December and the number of those who recovered rose to 306,097 (from 304,866). The average age of people diagnosed with COVID-19 is 46.8 years old.

For week 12 to 18 December, 5 new deaths related to COVID-19 were recorded. The average age of the deceased is 79.

In hospitals, 39 new admissions of confirmed positive COVID-19 patients took place in the normal care unit, compared to 26 the previous week. In intensive care, the number of occupied beds is 1. The average age of hospitalised patients is 60 years.

Positivity rate and incidence rate

For the one-week period, the effective reproduction rate (RT eff) decreased to 0.98 (1.16 the previous week), and the positivity rate on all tests carried out (prescriptions, contact tracing) decreased from 16.75% to 16.09%.

The incidence rate rose to 227 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days, against 223 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for the previous week. Adding reinfections, the incidence rate is 404 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 7 days and 784 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over 14 days (source INSA).

Reinfections as well as certified self-tests were included in the calculation of incidence rates by age group (source INSA).

The lowest incidence rate is recorded among 0-9 year olds (115 cases per 100,000 inhabitants); the highest incidence rate is recorded among people aged 80+ (874 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).