Luxembourg's Ministry of Health, the National Health Laboratory (Laboratoire National de Santé - LNS) and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) have published a review of the week of 27 February to 5 March 2023 in relation to respiratory infections, namely COVID-19 and influenza (flu).

COVID-19

For the week in question, the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 increased to 1,606 cases, up 14% from 1,409 cases the previous week. 52.3% of COVID-19 cases were reinfections (down from 53.4% the previous week).

There was one new COVID-19-related death during the aforementioned week; the age of the deceased was 94 years.

In hospitals, there were sixteen new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 patients to normal care (compared to ten one week earlier). There were no patients in intensive care. The average age of hospitalised patients was 71 years.

Vaccinations

For the week of 27 February to 5 March 2023, 79 COVID-19 doses were administered: four people received a first dose, six received a second dose, eight received a first additional dose compared to a complete vaccination schedule, 56 received a second additional dose and five received a third additional dose. No one received a fourth additional dose. The total number of vaccines administered as of Monday 20 February 2023 was thus 1,293,188.

A total of 474,978 people have a complete vaccination schedule, which corresponds to a vaccination rate of 79% of the eligible population (i.e. those aged five and over).

Variants

Data relating to the sequencing of COVID-19 variants are published in the REVILUX report on the LNS website: https://lns.lu/publications/.
Currently, the recombinant XBB.1.5 variant is predominant, representing 46.1% during week 8 of 2023 (up from 35.5% during week 7). The Omicron BQ.1 variant accounted for 22.6% during week 8 (down from 26.4% during week 7).

Wastewater monitoring

LIST draws up its CORONASTEP report every fifteen days. All CORONASTEP reports are available on the LIST website: https://www.list.lu/en/covid-19/coronastep/.

According to the latest report, the level of SARS-CoV-2 contamination of the thirteen wastewater treatment plants analysed during week 8 was very similar to that observed over the past months, however, a significant increase was noted during week 9. Locally, this increase was particularly noteworthy in the water treatment plants in Beggen, Pétange, Bettembourg, Mersch, Bleesbruck and Grevenmacher.

Flu

For the week of 27 February to 5 March 2023, the number of flu cases reported by laboratories increased from 304 to 318, i.e. an increase of 4.6% compared to the previous week. Currently, Influenza B is predominant.

The LNS microbiology department, in collaboration with the Health Directorate and a network of sentinel general practitioners and paediatricians spread across the country, carries out sentinel surveillance every year. Data relating to this is published in the REVILUX report on the LNS website (see above).