Biggest daily drop in Covid-19 ICU patients; Below 1,100 for first time since March

The number of patients being treated in intensive care for Covid-19 fell below 1,100 for the first time since March 29. There were 1,087 cases from the Netherlands being treated in ICU on Tuesday afternoon, 71 fewer than the day before.

"It is the biggest drop yet," according to patient distribution office LCPS. The office was set up to coordinate the transfer of patients between intensive care units in the Netherlands and Germany to help ease the burden at the busiest medical centers.

By reducing the number of coronavirus cases in ICU, the hospital departments have opened up more access to intensive care for patients without the respiratory disease caused by the virus. "This is reflected in an increase in the number of non-COVID patients in intensive care," said Ernst Kuipers, who leads a national network of acute care.

There were 1,039 patients being treated at Dutch hospitals, with 48 more of the country's patients receiving care in Germany. At least 2,664 Covid-19 patients in the Netherlands have required intensive care since the pandemic began, of which 599 have died, according to nonprofit intensive care organization NICE.

About 423 have been discharged from the hospital, and another 575 were sent to another department, according to NICE.