Coronavirus average falls for first time in five days; Covid ICU total also down

The number of new coronavirus infections reported in the Netherlands on Friday was the lowest total in nine days. Another 2,250 people were diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the RIVM showed in its daily update of raw data. That was 17 percent lower than a week ago.

It brought the seven-day moving average down three percent to 2,411. The average was still two percent higher than a week ago, as it had been rising since Monday. A combination of raw and corrected data put the moving average closer to 2,385.

The three cities with the most new infections in Friday’s data release were Amsterdam (217), Rotterdam (133) and The Hague (84). The latter was about seven percent below the The Hague’s moving average. The other two cities were just slightly higher than average. Almere was the city in fourth place with 72 infections, moving the city’s average to 66. That average has risen by a third in a week.

The most recent model put the basic reproduction (R) value at 0.97. That means that 100 people contagious with the viral infection pass it on to 97 others. They in turn spread the virus to 94 people, who pass it on to another 91.

The R number fell as quickly as it rose during the initial spike in Delta variant infections. After a drop to 0.70 on July 20, it consistently and steadily increased to the current figure. The model requires two weeks of information to become accurate. The latest R number of 0.97 was accurate for August 5, and coincides with data showing that the decrease in coronavirus infections was slowing down and flattening out.

Hospitals on Friday were treating 667 people for Covid-19, a net decrease of five after accounting for admissions, deaths and discharges. The reduction was entirely within the country’s intensive care units, which saw their patient total fall from a two-month high of 220 down to 215. The other 452 people were being treated in regular care wards, the same as on Thursday afternoon.

The combined hospital total was three percent higher compared to a week ago. A similar increase would put the hospitalized total at 690.

Hospitals admitted 92 patients with the coronavirus disease between the afternoons of Thursday and Friday. That included 21 patients sent directly to an ICU, the most in 14 days.

Over the past week, hospitals admitted an average of 79 patients with the coronavirus disease per day, two percent lower compared to last Friday. That figure includes about 13 ICU admissions per day.