Jump in new coronavirus infections; More Covid-19 hospitalizations

Preliminary data from public health agency RIVM showed that the Netherlands this week had a 43-percent increase in new coronavirus infections compared to last week. From Monday through Friday, the agency reported an average of 271 new patient cases, including 338 on Friday.

New infections reported by the agency have risen steadily since July 5. Last week the RIVM reported a 35-percent hike in new SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus infections, and an 84-percent increase the week before that.

Dutch hospitals also saw an increase in Covid-19 admissions on Friday. There were 92 people being treated for the coronavirus disease, an increase of 12, according to patient coordination office LCPS.

Outside of intensive care, the hospital departments had 73 coronavirus patients, up from 66. "Only in the Southwest Netherlands region was the number of clinical COVID patients slightly higher than in the past period," said Ernst Kuipers, the head of the acute care network in the Netherlands.

There were also 19 patients being treated in intensive care, up five from Thursday when ICU patients hit its lowest total since early March. Kuipers said the increase was unsurprising considering the growing number of infections.

Some 2,949 people have required treatment in intensive care for Covid-19 since late February, including 868 patients who died in an ICU. Another 1,900 were treated and discharged from the hospital.