New coronavirus infections hits lowest point since Dec. 2
Another 5,499 people in the Netherlands tested positive for an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the lowest single-day total in 40 days. It brought down the seven day moving average to 7,286, just a bit lower than figures which led the Dutch Cabinet to implement a stricter set of restrictions on December 15.
The rolling average has fallen by 12 percent over the past week, and Monday’s tally was 18-percent lower than a week ago, according to preliminary data from public health agency RIVM. That further lowered the likelihood of a surge of infections caused by rule-breaking gatherings over the New Year’s holidays.
The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (190), Rotterdam (148) and The Hague (125). All three posted figures of between 20 and 30 percent below their respective moving averages.
Hospitals in the Netherlands admitted a substantial number of new coronavirus patients, though it was lower than the weekly average, data from patient coordination office LCPS showed.. The hospitals took on 197 patients between Sunday and Monday afternoon, a figure which the Cabinet would like to be closer to 40 in order to fully relax coronavirus restrictions. During that time, they also moved 24 Covid-19 patients into intensive care units, which the government wants to be at a maximum of ten.
The Dutch hospital system was treating 2,621 patients with the coronavirus disease on Monday, an increase of 67 after accounting for admissions, discharges and deaths. That total included 1,926 patients in regular care, an increase of 76, and 695 people in intensive care, a decrease of nine.
While the Monday total was three percent higher than on Sunday, it was eight percent lower than a week ago. That reflected an average daily drop of over one percent. Should that rate continue, there would be about 2,425 coronavirus patients in hospital care next Monday.
The RIVM also noted that 50 more people died as a result of Covid-19. The figure is frequently at its lowest on Sunday and Monday due to data reporting delays on weekends. It brought the moving average down to 106.
To date, 12,411 people are confirmed to have died from the coronavirus disease in the Netherlands. A total of 878,264 people have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, including 33,606 which required treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital ward. Some 7,161 have been treated in intensive care, according to nonprofit organization NICE.
