Highest new coronavirus cases since June 12; Sharp decrease in Covid-19 hospitalizations
Early data from public health agency RIVM showed that 191 more positive tests for novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 were registered, the highest single-day total since June 12. The viral infection, responsible for respiratory disease Covid-19, was most prevalent in Rotterdam, where 49 infections were found, according to a review of the data by broadcaster NOS.
The preliminary data shows this week's daily average to be 173, which represents a 23 percent increase compared to last week, when there was an average of 141 new cases per day. That was also 84 percent higher than the first week of July.
"We are closely following the developments in the number of new infections, but fortunately we have not yet seen an increase in the number of hospital admissions," said Ernst Kuipers, the head of the acute care providers network in the Netherlands.
In fact, the number of people in hospitals for the coronavirus disease fell substantially on Friday. There were 91 people being treated in Dutch hospitals for Covid-19, a reduction of 15 patients, or 14 percent in total.
Not including intensive care units, the medical centers were treating 75 patients for the illness, a decrease of 17. Inside the ICUs, 17 people were receiving treatment for the disease, an increase of two.
Since late February, 2,935 people have been treated in intensive care units for the coronavirus disease. A total of 867 people died while they were in the ICU, and 1,888 were treated and discharged.