5,048: Most new coronavirus infections in over a month

Another 5,048 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, the most reported by health agency RIVM in a single day since January 23. The total was 14 percent higher than on Wednesday, and nine percent higher than a week ago.

It pushed the seven-day moving average up to 4,517, a figure which has risen for 11 days in a row after the onset of a severe winter storm earlier in the month. The moving average was 23 percent higher than a week earlier, data from the agency showed.

Infections this calendar week were 28 percent higher than a week earlier. On Thursday the week's total stood at 17,531.

In Rotterdam, the infection tally reached 219, the highest in a day since January 21. Amsterdam also reported a relatively high 224, about 16 percent above the city's moving average. The Hague also recorded 132 new infected residents, a third above its average and the highest figure in nearly a month.

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 1,887 people for Covid-19, a net increase of four since Wednesday afternoon. That included 526 patients in intensive care, down seven, and 1,361 in regular care, up eleven.

"Both the influx and the occupancy in hospitals are stable at the moment," said patient coordination office LCPS in an update. Some 196 people were admitted into regular care between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, which moved the average up to 164. Another 29 patients with the coronavirus disease were sent to intensive care, slightly above the average of 27.

The RIVM said it also learned of 33 more deaths caused by Covid-19, a somewhat low figure for weekday. That brought the moving average down to 50. So far this week, 222 Covid-19 deaths have been reported to the RIVM, down 20 percent from last week.

Over the past year, 1,073,971 people have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection. At least 15,438 people have died from Covid-19 thus far.