First novel coronavirus death in Belgium

Belgium has recorded its first death from the novel coronavirus strain that is sweeping the globe and four staff at the European Commission have been taken sick, officials said Wednesday.

Maggie De Block, health minister in Belgium’s caretaker federal government, said the victim was 90 years old.

As of Wednesday, Belgium had recorded 314 cases of the coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19, up from 267 the day before, according to the health ministry.

China remains the hardest-hit country overall but the virus is spreading rapidly in Europe, in particular in Italy.

Belgium’s first death was in Brussels, which in addition to being the Belgian capital is home to the headquarters of the European Union and the NATO military alliance.

On Wednesday, the staff at the European Commission’s Brussels headquarters received a mail telling them that four of their colleagues had tested positive for coronavirus and three more are being tested.

This follows at least four positive tests in other EU institutions, and one each at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels and its military command in Mons, in southern Belgium.