Coronavirus infections at 40-day high with 3,688 reported Wednesday

Some 3,688 new coronavirus infections were reported by public health agency RIVM on Wednesday, the most in a single day since May 28. That pushed the seven-day moving average up to 1,668, an increase of 35 percent in a day, and 174 percent higher than a week ago.

Over a third of the new infections on Wednesday were reported in Amsterdam (482), Rotterdam (402), Utrecht (227) and Groningen (218). The cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht and Eindhoven have all seen their moving averages increase by 400 percent in a week.

Health Minister Hugo de Jonge has asked the Outbreak Management Team to examine the seriousness of the rise in infections, and to determine if new measures are needed. The exponential rise in infections started on June 30, four days after coronavirus restrictions were largely relaxed in the Netherlands.

On behalf of the Cabinet, De Jonge told the Tweede Kamer that the goal in the Netherlands was preventing people from being hospitalized for Covid-19. With most infections affecting people below the age of 24, De Jonge said it was not clear how urgently the spike in coronavirus cases needs to be addressed.

There were 206 people being treated for Covid-19 in Dutch hospitals on Wednesday afternoon, down three percent from Tuesday. The total included 104 people in intensive care, a net increase of one, and 102 patients in regular care, a net decrease of seven after accounting for new admissions, deaths and discharges. An average of nine Covid-19 patients have been admitted daily over the past week, including an average of one ICU patient.

The combined total of 206 patients was 30 percent lower than it was a week ago. A similar decrease would bring the hospital tally to 145 by next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reduced its target number of Covid-19 vaccinations to be placed this calendar week. It fell by nearly 200 thousand units to below 1.37 million. About 177,469 people were given a vaccination on Tuesday, the lowest daily results estimated in a month.

That brought the seven-day average down to 191,011, ten percent lower than a week ago. About 375 thousand have been given this calendar week thus far.

That brought the total up to 17,101,744 doses administered since January 6. Information provided by the ministry to the ECDC showed that 78.1 percent of the adult population has been given at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose. Some 46.8 percent of the population have either received their second Covid-19 vaccine dose, or one shot of single-dose Janssen Vaccine.

The Netherlands was in third place in the European Union and European Economic Area for partial Covid-19 vaccinations, and seventh place for the rate of full vaccination.