The number of COVID-19 infections among the working population has doubled as compared to the last two weeks, according to a report by professor of occupational medicine Lode Godderis (KU Leuven-IDEWE).
The report compares the infection rates in the different economic sectors and has already reported two times the number of infections in the working population in the last two weeks.
The incident rate has doubled as there have been confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants, going from 476 to 951, between June 28 and July 11, as compared to the last period, which ran from 14 to June 27.
In the general population, the incidents increase from 355 to 694, which means that while infections are also increasing rapidly in the rest of society, the rates among working people are increasing faster.
Moreover, the sectors where the virus circulates the most are the traditional sectors where there is a lot of close contact between individuals, the healthcare sector and the social sector, and the aviation sector and public transport.
The rise seems to be under control in sectors such as education, culture and entertainment, and wholesale and retail trade.
Along with this, several production companies and government departments are also experiencing an increased number of infections, where the incidence is up to three times higher than those of the general population and up to two times higher than those of working individuals.
According to Godderis, however, these high incidences are due to a few outbreaks rather than to a structural increase in infections.
