12,028 new Covid-19 cases pushes weekly average to nearly 10,500, a new record

Five days into national lockdown, the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections keeps rising. On Saturday, public health agency RIVM reported 12,028 new cases. This pushes the seven-day rolling average to 10,496, setting a new record. 

The number of new infections on Saturday was two percent higher than the previous day and up 35 percent compared to last week. The total number of new infections this week was 55,050, up 39 percent compared to last week.

The three cities with the most infections were Amsterdam (580), The Hague (270), and Rotterdam (247). In Amsterdam, the number reflects a 59 percent increase compared to Friday and a 48 percent increase versus last Saturday. In The Hague, the number of infections dropped nine percent compared to Friday and five percent compared to the previous week. Rotterdam’s infections went down as well. Compared to Friday, the number was 26 percent lower and 14 percent compared to the same day last week. 

Meanwhile, hospitals continue to be under pressure. On Saturday, 290 new patients were admitted to regular care units, and 45 patients were placed in intensive care. For regular care patients, this was a 33 percent increase compared to last week. For IC-patients, the increase was 73 percent compared to last Saturday. 

The new admissions bring the total number of Covid-19 patients to 2,065, up 31 compared to the previous day. Dutch acute care providers network, Ernst Kuipers, stressed that “the number of Covid patients in hospitals has increased by 20 percent in the past week. We expect a similar increase to occur in the coming week.” 

Another 56 people died from the viral infection in the 24-hours leading up to Saturday afternoon. This brings the seven-day rolling average to 64 daily deaths. At least 10,459 people in the Netherlands have died of coronavirus since counting began in March. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, hospitals in the Netherlands have treated some 28,513 patients in regular care and 6,127 in intensive care, reports non-profit organization NICE.