Luxembourg sees record Covid cases for second day in a row

Luxembourg reported its highest number of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began on Thursday, setting a record for the second consecutive day, amid skyrocketing infections in countries across Europe linked to the Omicron variant.

A total of 3,064 people tested positive for Covid-19, the Health Ministry said in its latest daily figures, just a day after the country set a previous record with more than 2,500 infections.

The upward trend in Luxembourg comes as countries across the EU are seeing record levels of people contracting the virus. Neighbouring France on Tuesday reported a record number of nearly half a million cases in the country, while Germany on Wednesday registered more than 100,000 new cases for the first time ever.

Despite the surge in infections, Luxembourg’s hospitalisation rate remains stable, with 74 people currently being treated for Covid-19, and 15 of those patients in intensive care. A total of 941 people have died as a result of the virus across Luxembourg since the pandemic began almost two years ago.

Luxembourg vaccinated nearly 8,000 people on Thursday, according to the latest figures from the health ministry, as the government looks to introduce mandatory jabs for over-50s and healthcare staff.

In parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel endorsed the recommendations for a limited vaccine mandate, as proposed by an independent panel of medical experts last week in a report on the issue. "We need to learn to live with the virus", he said, adding for that to happen the country needs to ensure the most vulnerable are vaccinated. "The government is hoping to scale back restrictions when the mandate comes into force", Bettel added. Although it has endorsed the panel's proposals, the government has said it is leaving parliament to determine the specific terms of any future law on compulsory vaccinations.