Seven Dutch regions put on highest Covid risk level
With the number of coronavirus infections skyrocketing in the Netherlands, the Dutch government is also updating the risk levels in the Dutch regions on Tuesday. Seven regions will be moved to the highest "very serious" risk level, and 13 to the second highest "serious" level, ANP reports.
The Netherlands has four coronavirus risk levels - vigilant, worrisome, serious, and very serious. The risk level is based on the number of positive Covid-19 tests in a region, and the number of hospitalizations. The number of positive tests in the Netherlands increased alarmingly over the past two weeks, though the number of hospitalizations are still fairly stable.
Before Tuesday's update, the Netherlands map showed 10 regions at the lowest "vigilant" level, and the other 15 one step up at "worrisome". After the update, only five regions will not be at one of the two highest risk levels.
The regions moving to the highest risk level are Amsterdam-Amstelland, Groningen, Utrecht, Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Kennemerland, Gooi en Vechtstreek, and Hollands Midden.
In Amsterdam, the Covid-19 infection rate increased from 1 in every 3,096 residents testing positive at the end of June, in the week before bars and clubs were allowed to open again, to 1 in every 183 residents testing positive last week. In the city of Groningen, 1 in 108 residents tested positive last week, compared to 1 in 6,173 two weeks ago - an increase of 5,620 percent.
The 13 regions that will move to the "serious" risk level are Haaglanden, Twente, Midden- en West-Brabant, Zaanstreek-Waterland, Brabant-Zuidoost, Gelderland-Zuid, Noord- en Oost-Gelderland, IJsselland, Gelderland-Midden, Zuid-Holland Zuid, Noord-Holland Noord, Brabant-Noord, and Friesland.
Flevoland, Zuid-Limburg, Drenthe, Limburg-Noord, and Zeeland will be placed on "worrisome".
