Coronavirus infections today up 8% to 7,400; Over 100 more in hospitals

Some 7,393 more residents of the Netherlands tested positive for a SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, according to data released on Tuesday by public health agency RIVM. That was about 550 more than the record set on Monday, and 63 percent higher than the figure released last Tuesday.

The Netherlands was already on pace to record 56 percent more new coronavirus infections than last week, with 14,247 positive tests for the virus reported on Monday and Tuesday alone. By Wednesday, more people will likely have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 this week than during the entire month of August.

Another 734 residents of Amsterdam tested positive for the viral infection, much more than the previous seven-day average of 503. Amsterdam's total on Tuesday was also 53 percent higher than a week ago. With 433 new infections, Rotterdam's tally rose by 60 percent. The Hague jumped from 187 last week to 353 on Tuesday.

Another 34 deaths were linked to Covid-19, raising the Dutch death toll to 6,631. The early data from the RIVM also showed 111 more hospitalizations due to the coronavirus disease, data which is often delayed by days. Some 13,470 have been hospitalized for the illness since the end of February.

Covid-19: Worst hospitalization figures since May 14

Over a hundred more Covid-19 patients were being treated in Dutch hospitals on Tuesday, with the hospitalization total rising above 1,400 for the first time since May 14. There were 1,410 patients with the coronavirus disease, a figure which doubled over the past two weeks.

The patient total rose by 112 compared to Monday, an 8.6 percent increase. There were 1,133 people being treated outside of the ICU, up 87 in a day, and 277 patients in intensive care, an increase of 25.

On each of the past two days, 19 patients were transferred from busier hospitals to less busy regions to try and maintain balance in the healthcare sector. "The large increase in the Randstad requires the LCPS to increase the number of trips to other parts of the country," said acute care leader Ernst Kuipers on Tuesday.