Covid hospital total up 8% in 13th straight increase; Infections drop below 4K
New coronavirus infections continued a ten-day downward trend, falling below four thousand for the first time in nearly three weeks. Still, Dutch hospitals were treating 577 patients with Covid-19 on Monday, the 13th day in a row that the figure increased.
The decline in infections is good news, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a press conference on Monday. "Yet the situation remains tense because we are still seeing the numbers increase in hospitals."
Public health agency RIVM said that 3,914 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the lowest since July 7. That brought the seven-day moving average down to 5,775, 43 percent lower compared to a week ago when the average surged to hits highest point during the July surge in infections.
Amsterdam led all cities with the most newly infected residents, 287, reported on Monday. That was one-third below the city's weekly average. The average itself has fallen by 59 percent in a week.
Rotterdam had 203 new infections and The Hague had 116. Both figures were well below their respective averages, which have dropped by half in seven days.
At the same time, the number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients rose by a net total of 44 after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. That increase was equivalent to an eight percent rise in a day, and has gone up a total of 60 percent in a week.
Rutte said that the growing number of patients will continue for a week. "Then it is expected that it will also reach a level in hospitals at which point it will not rise further."
Another 60 percent hike would bring the patient total up over 925 by next week.
Monday's hospital total included 140 patients in intensive care, a net gain of six, and 437 patients in regular care, a net increase of 38.
Hospitals admitted 92 Covid-19 patients between Sunday and Monday afternoon, including 17 sent straight to intensive care. On average, 85 patients were admitted daily over the past week, including 14 sent to ICU.
That figure of 85 doubled compared to a week ago. Though high, Rutte said, "It seems to be manageable in the hospitals at the moment."
Also, preliminary data from the RIVM showed that the 20 millionth Covid-19 vaccine jab was given on Sunday. However, the RIVM is only releasing comprehensive data about the vaccination program twice weekly, on Tuesdays and often also on Thursdays.