Over 9,100 new coronavirus infections; Covid ICU total hits 20-week high

The RIVM registered 9,195 new coronavirus infections between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, the most in a single 24 hour period since July 18. That pushed the seven-day average up to 8,011, its highest level since July 23. The average has increased for 30 consecutive days.

The average has gone up by 35 percent in a week. While that figure is high, growth has slowed during the last seven days.

Between October 26 and November 1, an estimated 16.9 percent of people tested by the GGD received the news that they were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. That is the highest it has been in over a year, even eclipsing the rate seen during the spike in infections caused by the Delta variant in July.

That positivity rate has been on the rise since the third week of September when it was around 7.3 percent. It was 15.7 percent one week ago. About 42,000 people were tested daily by the GGD for the coronavirus during the most recent period, up from over 33,000 the previous seven-day period.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (308), Rotterdam (271), and The Hague (232). All three were above their respective weekly averages.

Meanwhile, the number of people being treated for Covid-19 fell by two to 1,310, the first decrease of any kind since October 7. There were 1,060 people being treated for the disease in regular care wards, a net decrease of 12 after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths.

However, intensive care units were treating 10 more patients, which raised that total up to 250, according to patient coordination office LCPS. That was the most Covid-19 patients reported to be in intensive care since June 15.

The combined patient total of 1,310 was 53 percent higher compared to last Wednesday. A similar increase would put the number of patients in care up above 2,000, something which was already projected for the end of November.

Hospitalizations for Covid-19 have gone up 46 percent in a week, with an average of 173 people admitted each of the past seven days. That includes 20 sent directly to an ICU daily, about 12 percent higher than the previous week. Just in the past 24 hours, hospitals took on 194 more Covid-19 patients, sending 33 to an intensive care unit.

The RIVM has recorded a total of 2,156,582 positive coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic.