BRUSSELS, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Eighty-five new COVID-19 cases have been detected and confirmed in Belgium, bringing the total number of people infected to 399, the Federal Public Health Service (FPS Health) announced on Thursday.
Out of 806 samples tested by the network of COVID-19 reference laboratories, 66 new cases were reported in Flanders, three in Brussels and 16 in Wallonia.
Of the total 399 cases, 34 were confirmed at a nursing home in the commune of Watermael-Boitsfort. Eleven nursing home patients have been hospitalized and the establishment is now under quarantine, Brussels Health Minister Alain Maron said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the commune of Knokke is the first in Belgium to be placed under quarantine until April 30. Mayor Leopold Lippens has banned all indoor and outdoor public gatherings.
The FPS Health recommended that people avoid indoor gatherings of more than 1,000 people, keep an average social distance of one to two meters, and generally avoid interaction with people.
To date, Belgium has has reported three coronavirus-related deaths and only one patient has recovered completely.
