Dutch coronavirus average drops for 13th day; Covid hospital total also falls

The average number of daily coronavirus infections fell for the 13th straight day on Thursday, according to raw data released by the RIVM. Another 1,841 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which brought the seven-day moving average down to 1,822. The average has gone down 17 percent in a week.

Coronavirus testing has fallen by about 10 percent to an average of about 22,500 per day. Roughly 7.7 percent of those tested by the GGD were diagnosed with the infection during the previous seven days.

The three cities with the most new infections were Rotterdam (89), Amsterdam (87) and The Hague (84). It was the fifth consecutive day for Amsterdam's total to be below 100, with the capital's average now 91. Rotterdam's average fell to 91, and The Hague's average held at 83.

There were 513 patients with Covid-19 being treated in Dutch hospitals, down 4 percent compared to Wednesday afternoon. There were 183 patients with the disease in intensive care units, the lowest level since July 31. That reflected a net decrease of three in a day.

The other 330 patients were in regular care wards, down 16 after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The regular care wards were treating the lowest number of Covid-19 patients since July 22.

The combined hospital total has gone down 12 percent in a week. A similar decrease would bring the total down below 460.

Hospitals admitted 46 patients with the coronavirus disease between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, including 7 who were sent directly to an ICU. On average, hospitals took on 49 patients each of the past seven days, 22 percent fewer than a week earlier. That average includes 10 patients sent daily to an ICU.

The RIVM has recorded 1,991,628 positive coronavirus tests since the start of the pandemic.