Coronavirus deaths top 4,400; Public transportation "not an outing!" says NS
The number of reported cases where a person with a coronavirus infection died stood at 4,409 on Saturday. The number of people who registered a positive test and required hospitalization was 10,381.
It includes at least 24 people who entered the hospital on Friday, according to the RIVM. Of the 100 new hospitalizations reported on Saturday, most took place in the previous two days, with some stretching back to March 18. The data is continuously updated as more test results are received by the agency.
The number of new hospitalizations has risen slightly since hitting a low point of 52 this past Sunday, but was still at the lowest levels since March 14. Some 444 hospitalizations were reported over the past seven days, compared to 926 during the seven days prior to that, a drop of 52 percent.
There were 120 more fatal cases reported by the RIVM, with the deaths taking place between March 28 and Friday, April 24. The deaths of at least 32 people were recorded on Friday, and 50 more were added to Thursday's total, bringing that day's count to 77. The RIVM has reported 612 deaths which took place over the past seven days, compared to 873 during the previous seven days, a decrease of nearly 30 percent.
These figures do not include hundreds of deaths and hospitalizations where people were suspected of having Covid-19, but they had not been tested by health officials, according to new research. However, the deaths are included in mortality statistics, which reflected a spike in deaths compared to last year which coincides with the coronavirus pandemic. Like the registered coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations, the increased mortality has also been declining.
To date, 37,190 people have tested positive for the virus in the Netherlands, an increase of 655. As of Friday at least 193,950 people had been tested. The number of new tests which take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are not reported by the RIVM until after the weekend. It was not clear if that data would be released on Monday, which is a national holiday celebrating the birthday of King Willem-Alexander.
With King's Day fast approaching, followed by the May vacation period, national railway service NS joined several public transit firms in reminding people that they should only use public transportation if absolutely necessary.
"We only operate for the heroes who are fighting coronavirus. In this way, we are keeping the Netherlands accessible to healthcare workers, home care providers, grocery store shelf stockers, and other people for whom traveling by public transport is truly necessary. Help them, help each other. The public transport is not an outing! " the NS said in a statement.