Coronavirus infections shoot up as 7-day average tops 1,900

The Netherlands registered its highest total of new coronavirus infections in a month on Thursday. The RIVM said that 2,760 more people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, far exceeding recent daily totals. This was due to an IT error that prevented some prior data from being included in the RIVM's total on Wednesday.

Regardless, the seven-day moving average shot up to 1,902, the highest that figure has been in three weeks. Thursday's release also means that the past three days accounted for over 6,600 infections, which has not happened in the Netherlands since September 15 - 17.

About 8.3 percent of tests conducted by the GGD over the last seven days uncovered the viral infection. That figure was 7.3 percent just over two weeks ago, the lowest point since the start of the fourth wave of infections in early July.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (148), Rotterdam (133) and The Hague (99). Although that likely includes data missing from Wednesday's figures, the three cities each posted totals not seen since mid-September. In the capital, the total was 70 percent above average, while Rotterdam's figure was more than 40 percent above average.

Dutch hospitals were treating 469 people with Covid-19, two percent lower than on Wednesday. That includes 128 people in intensive care units, tied for the lowest total since July 24. The ICU figure fell by six after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The other 341 Covid-19 patients were in regular care wards, also a net decrease of six.

Hospitals admitted 51 Covid-19 patients between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, including nine sent directly to an ICU. That brought the seven-day average up to 50 per day, including 10 ICU patients.

A total of 2,016,171 positive coronavirus tests have been registered in the Netherlands to date.