Coronavirus average drops for 24th straight day; Hospital figures improve

The average number of coronavirus infections diagnosed daily in the Netherlands fell for the 24th day in a row on Thursday, a day in which the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) caught up at least partially on a backlog of data. The institute said that 2,614 people tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

“Due to a prior technical issue, not all confirmed cases had been received on Wednesday,” the Ministry of Health said on its Coronavirus Dashboard. The backlog in cases was added to Thursday’s total. “Therefore, numbers today are higher than in reality.”

Even though the daily total was the highest in almost a week, it brought the moving average down four percent to 2,399, based on raw data. That remains the lowest figure since July 8. A combination of raw and corrected data put that figure even lower, at 2,371.

The moving average was about 14 percent lower compared to a week ago. The rate in which the average has fallen slowed significantly since the weekend. Still, it was over 75 percent lower compared to the Delta variant peak average of 10,160, recorded on July 19.

The three cities with the most new infections on Thursday were Amsterdam (196), Rotterdam (117) and The Hague (114). The capital’s total was slightly above average, and Rotterdam’s total was about 7 percent above average. The Hague posted a total closer to 25 percent above average, but the data suggested it was one municipality whose data was seriously affected by the IT issues disclosed by the RIVM.

Hospitals admitted 75 patients with Covid-19 between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, including 19 who were sent directly to intensive care. Data from the LCPS showed that hospitals admitted an average of 81 patients per day over the past week.

The average number of total Covid-19 admissions has fallen by 7 percent in a week, thought the number of ICU patient admissions has gone up from 16 to 19 during that time.

There were 649 people being treated for the coronavirus disease in Dutch hospitals on Thursday, a net decrease of seven after accounting for admissions, discharges and deaths. That total was four percent lower compared to a week ago. A similar decrease would lead to 627 patients in care by next Thursday.

The current total included 439 patients in regular care, a decrease of seven. The other 210 patients were in intensive care, unchanged since Wednesday.

People have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus 1,894,667 times since the start of the pandemic.