Dutch coronavirus daily average tops 2,500; Covid hospital total down slightly

The Netherlands recorded 2,863 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the most reported in a single day since August 6. That pushed the seven-day moving average up to 2,505, the highest it has been in two weeks, according to raw data from the RIVM.

The number of daily infections in the Netherlands has largely remained between 2,000 and 3,000 since July 31. A combination of raw and corrected data put the seven-day average at about 2480, over one percent higher than a week ago.

Amsterdam led all municipalities with the most residents testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Some 217 people in the capital were diagnosed with the infection, just under the city's average of 221. Another 164 people tested positive in Rotterdam, about 19 percent above average, and 120 infections were found in The Hague, 20 percent above average.

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 674 people with Covid-19 on Wednesday afternoon, a single-day decrease of two percent after accounting for new admissions, deaths and discharges. The patient total has remained between 650 and 705 for three weeks.

There were 228 patients in intensive care units, a net decrease of two. On Tuesday, the ICU total hit a 10-week high, and the slight drop was still higher than at any other point since June 17. There have been growing concerns about the strain in the intensive care system again, with Health Minister Hugo de Jonge saying it will not be immediately possible to scale up the system flexibly like at other points during the pandemic.

The other 446 Covid-19 patients in care were being treated in regular care wards. That reflected a net decrease of 15.

Hospitals took on 75 more patients with the coronavirus disease between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, including 19 who were sent directly to an ICU. On average, patient admissions were at 76 daily over the past week, including 16 new intensive care registrations.

People in the Netherlands have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus 1,926,424 times since the start of the pandemic.