Covid vaccination pace quickening as hospital total falls 9% since Friday
Some 221,362 people in the Netherlands were given a Covid-19 vaccination shot on Sunday, which brought the estimate for the calendar week up to 1,467,823. Nearly half of the people vaccinated last week were given their injection between Friday and Sunday.
The weekly figure was about two percent higher than a week ago, but it was about one percent below initial estimates from the Ministry of Health. Still, the improved weekend vaccination performance was enough to boost the seven-day average number of jabs by four percent.
The average was just shy of 210 thousand, including data from Sunday.
The RIVM also reported no new known Covid-19 deaths for the second time in three days. When the public health agency reported the figure on Saturday, it was the first time since early September it could make the claim. Deaths are not required to be reported to the RIVM, and fewer deaths are often disclosed on Sunday and Monday due to weekend staffing levels.
Hospitals in the Netherlands also managed to record a significant decrease in the number of patients being treated for Covid-19. There were 331 patients in care on Monday, down nine percent compared to Friday.
The hospital total was 33 percent lower than a week ago. Another decrease of a third this week will bring the total down below 225.
The total was at its lowest point since September 19, according to the LCPS which no longer provides weekend updates. The tally included 142 patients in intensive care, five lower from Friday but one more than on Sunday.
Another 189 people were being treated in the nursing wards, a net decrease of 27 from Friday, including a drop of 15 compared to Sunday.
Over the past seven days, hospitals have admitted an average of 18 new Covid-19 patients each day, 29 percent lower than a week ago. About three patients admitted daily are sent to an ICU.
The RIVM also said that another 580 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The uncorrected seven-day average remained at 636 for the second straight day, 28 percent lower than a week ago.
Only about 18 thousand people reported to municipal health service GGD for a coronavirus check daily this past week, preliminary data showed. The positivity rate was about 3.1 percent
To date, people have tested positive for the infection 1,683,828 times in the Netherlands. Some 17,741 deaths have been reported by the RIVM, with an additional 12 to 13 thousand also disclosed by the CBS.