Daily Covid infections to exceed 7,400 today; Highest since early Jan.

Around 7,400 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection between Thursday morning and Friday morning, departing Justice Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus said after the weekly Council of Ministers meeting on Friday. Public health institute RIVM will publish its daily figures later on Friday afternoon, but confirmed to NU.nl that there were "at least 7,400 cases".

Data from the RIVM shows that the expected Friday total will be the highest since January 8. Some 7,400 new coronavirus cases would be enough to push the seven-day average up above 6,000 for the first time in nine weeks.

"I am not in a relaxed mood about this: let's see what can happen," Grapperhaus said to NOS when asked about the cabinet discussing the lockdown over the weekend. "We really have to be very careful."

According to Grapperhaus, the coronavirus basic reproduction (R) number is currently at around 1.14. That number indicates how fast the virus is spreading - each coronavirus patient is currently infecting about 1.14 other people.

A total of 7,400 new coronavirus cases also means that the number of infections reported by the RIVM this calendar week will likely be at least 25 percent higher than last week.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo de Jonge have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday evening to update the country on the coronavirus situation including any policy changes. There was speculation they would announce that events will be allowed to begin in July, and that cafe terraces could even be allowed to open at the end of the month.

Dramatic increases in the number of infections and the R-number could jeopardize those plans.