Over 1,000 coronavirus infections tied to Amsterdam Dance Event so far

At least 1,027 people who attended the 2021 edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event were later diagnosed with the coronavirus infection, according to new figures published by GGD Amsterdam, the municipal health service in the city. The organization believes that many others likely became infected as a result of extending the event, which was held from October 13 - 17.

The GGD said that multiple infections were found among attendees of 83 events organized as part of the music festival. The annual event produced 350 events in total this year, scattered across 140 locations.

The festival drew many visitors from abroad who are less likely to notify Dutch health authorities of an infection after returning home. Additionally, the health service said that not all people who test positive domestically participate in source and contact tracing. Those who do participate might not have identified their attendance at an ADE party.

Those three reasons are key to the GGD’s theory that many other infections were linked to the event. Additionally, it noted that the wide availability of coronavirus self-test kits means some who test positive at home may not show up for an official test with the GGD.

The seven-day average number of daily coronavirus infections in the Netherlands was 3,270 on October 17, the day Amsterdam Dance Event concluded. That figure has more than doubled in two weeks to 7,459. Average daily infections in Amsterdam have jumped from 125 to 279.

An estimated 300,000 tickets were distributed for Amsterdam Dance Event last month. Coronavirus restrictions at the time required indoor events without fixed seating to hold a maximum of 75 percent of the venue’s capacity. All visitors to events were required to show a coronavirus access pass to enter.

The pass can only be legitimately obtained in the Netherlands by people who are either fully vaccinated against Covid-19, recently recovered from a coronavirus infection, or with a negative diagnosis for the infection within 24 hours of entrance.