The shocking tragedy was announced by the country’s national crisis centre coronavirus spokesman Emmanuel Andre today.

He it was an emotionally difficult moment because of the age of the victim, adding that the medical and scientific community had been left devastated.

Andre said:

“We are thinking of her family and friends.

“It is an event that is very rare, but one which upsets us greatly.”

The horrific news means the girl has become the youngest person to die from Covid-19 in Europe.

The previous youngest known death on the continent was a boy, 14, who died in Portugal over the weekend.

Vitor Godinho passed away in a hospital near Porto in the early hours of Sunday morning after falling ill with the bug.

And just days before, a French schoolgirl, 16, became the youngest victim at the time after losing her battle with the bug.

Julie Alliot passed away from respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday, after being sent home with a “slight cough” a week before.

After today’s news, Andre revealed 98 people had died from the disease over the last 24 hours in Belgium, bringing the total toll to 705 in the country of around 11.5million people.