Belgium enters new deconfinement stage

Belgium entered in a new stage of the government's Phase-2 deconfinement plan Monday, with more pupils filing back to the classroom.

The wearing of masks is not compulsory for children under 12 years old. However, hygiene measures and physical distance will have to be respected.

The new stage also concerns prisons. Visits will resume there under the strict conditions of one visit per prisoner and once a week.

The public health institute Sciensano on Monday reported 250 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 57,342 since the pandemic hit the country.

"These new infections confirm the continuing downward trend... over the past few days," said Yves Van Laethem, inter-federal spokesman on the fight against COVID-19.

The same 24 hours saw 27 new hospitalizations, a decrease of around 4 percent, and 32 deaths, according to Laethem.

As of Monday, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 9,312 lives in Belgium since its outbreak. Currently, 251 patients are in intensive care, down by five from a day earlier.

Belgium entered Phase-2 deconfinement on May 18, with schools reopening to some grades under strict organizational conditions.

Belgium entered in a new stage of the government's Phase-2 deconfinement plan Monday, with more pupils filing back to the classroom.

The wearing of masks is not compulsory for children under 12 years old. However, hygiene measures and physical distance will have to be respected.

The new stage also concerns prisons. Visits will resume there under the strict conditions of one visit per prisoner and once a week.

The public health institute Sciensano on Monday reported 250 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 57,342 since the pandemic hit the country.

"These new infections confirm the continuing downward trend... over the past few days," said Yves Van Laethem, inter-federal spokesman on the fight against COVID-19.

The same 24 hours saw 27 new hospitalizations, a decrease of around 4 percent, and 32 deaths, according to Laethem.

As of Monday, the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed 9,312 lives in Belgium since its outbreak. Currently, 251 patients are in intensive care, down by five from a day earlier.

Belgium entered Phase-2 deconfinement on May 18, with schools reopening to some grades under strict organizational conditions.