Coronavirus average falls to one month low; New Covid hospitalizations still high

The average daily number of new coronavirus infections fell for the 19th straight day on Saturday, dropping to the lowest point since July 8. Over the past week, an average of 2,627 people were diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, one-third lower compared to a week ago.

Raw data from the RIVM showed that 2,448 positive tests were registered by the health institute between Friday and Saturday morning. That was about 500 fewer compared to a week ago, and less than half the total from two weeks earlier. On Saturday, July 17, some 11,134 people were diagnosed with the infection.

The most recent data showed the most new infections were found in residents of Amsterdam (187), Rotterdam (119), and The Hague (114). Both Amsterdam and Rotterdam were about ten percent below average, while The Hague’s total was 16 percent above average. No other municipality had more than 60 residents test positive for the infection in the past day.

Hospitals in the Netherlands admitted at least 90 new Covid-19 patients for the third straight day. The LCPS said that 75 Covid-19 patients were admitted into regular care between Friday and Saturday afternoon, and another 17 people were sent straight to intensive care units for treatment of the disease.

Over the past week, hospitals took on 87 patients on average per day, including 18 ICU cases. Although the average has fallen by 14 percent since a week ago, the pressure on the medical system was still high due to the coronavirus surge in July. 

There are only 800 ICU spaces available for use in the Netherlands due to staff shortages from vacations, said intensive care expert Diederik Gommers during his podcast with BNR. “We are busy every day looking for an ICU bed for a Covid patient,” he stated. Hospitals have had to cancel operations again to keep ICU capacity available “if someone comes in this afternoon or tonight with a trauma or a cerebral haemorrhage.”

A total of 676 patients were being treated for Covid-19 in Dutch hospitals on Saturday, a net decrease of three. The hospital total included 676 patients in regular care, a net increase of two, and 201 patients in intensive care, a net decrease of five.

“In absolute numbers it's nothing, but for us it's old-fashioned bed stress,” Gommers said.

Still, the hospital total was virtually flat compared to a week ago, a sign that the hospital total could remain stable if coronavirus infections continue to hold steady or decline.

About 21.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the Netherlands. Over 68 percent of adults in the country have been given a shot of the Janssen single-dose vaccine, or two shots of any other vaccine approved for use in the European Union.

People have tested positive for the coronavirus infection 1,883,513 times since the start of the pandemic.