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BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - JANUARY 06: New COVID-19 cases rose by 52% over the holiday season in Belgium, according to the latest data published by the country’s health institute. An average of 10,126 new infections were detected every day between Dec. 24-30 -- 52% more compared to the previous week’s average, the Public Health Institute Sciensano revealed on Monday. Anadolu Agency Video News (AAVN) videoed streets and squares in Brussels which were crowded despite surging number of coronavirus cases. As the number of infections is increasing rapidly with no sign of slowing down, virologists Marc Van Ranst and Steven Van Gucht predicted that January and February will be very “unpleasant” for Belgium. Van Gucht, the official of the Belgian National Institute of Public Health, announced that 27,200 new cases were registered on January 3. Speaking to the Belgian press, Van Gucht said, “This is the first time we are seeing such an infection number and we anticipate that the numbers will increase. We may see 50,000 new cases per day.” The numbers suggested that the epidemiological situation has turned from the slow-down trend experienced before Christmas and that the country has entered the fifth wave of the pandemic. Over 70% of the new infections are related to the new omicron variant, the government’s coronavirus spokesperson Yves Van Laethem confirmed last Friday. (Footage by Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)