Dutch coronavirus avg. nears 10,000; Covid hospital total close to 1,500

The average number of daily coronavirus infections in the Netherlands has been on the rise for over a month, and on Sunday it topped 9,900. At the same time, the number of patients being treated for Covid-19 rose by 7 percent in a day to 1,490, with ICU figures at their highest point since early June.

Coronavirus infections could surpass the initial Delta variant peak

When the RIVM issues its next full report on coronavirus data this Tuesday, the country could very well surpass figures from July 20 at the peak of the Delta variant wave, a week in which nearly 70,000 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 infection. During the entire pandemic, that week was second only to the last week of December, when over 82,000 tested positive.

A total of 11,398 people tested positive for the coronavirus infection, according to raw data from the RIVM covering Saturday morning to Sunday morning. Nearly 54,000 people have tested positive since the RIVM released its last weekly report. Currently, the seven-day average was five percent higher than on Saturday, at 9,906. It has gone up 38 percent in a week.

It remains to be seen if the Netherlands reached a plateau in the rate in which people tested positive. Some 17.1 percent of people tested by the GGD during the seven days ending November 5 were given the positive diagnosis. That figure fell slightly from a peak of 17.5 percent reached three days earlier. The figure remained at its highest point since October 2020.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (407), The Hague (291), and Rotterdam (289). All three cities continued to post figures sell above their respective moving averages.

Covid hospital total could be headed for 2,000

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 1,490 people with Covid-19 on Sunday afternoon, an increase of 91 patients in a day after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The hospital total has jumped by a third since last Sunday. A similar increase would put the total at 1,985 by the end of next week.

The current figure includes 305 patients in intensive care units, a net increase of 17. That was the first time in five months the figure has been above 300, and it exceeded the total on June 9.

The other 1,185 patients were being treated in regular care wards, a net increase of 74. May 21 was the last time there were so many Covid-19 patients in the regular care wards. When also taking ICU patients into account, the hospital level was at its highest point since May 27.

Average daily new patient admissions were nearing a level not seen in a half-year. At that time, the Netherlands lifted several coronavirus restrictions, and then announced it would press ahead despite rising hospital figures.

Similarly, the new wave of infections started almost immediately after many coronavirus restrictions were lifted in September, including requirements linked to face masks and social distancing. Some restrictions were tightened up last week, beyond the reintroduction of face mask use and an expansion of the coronavirus access pass system.

The restrictions entered into force on Saturday, much too late to prevent any of the 188 new Covid-19 hospitalizations that took place between that afternoon and Sunday afternoon. That includes 26 people sent directly to an intensive care unit.

Some 1,341 people with the coronavirus disease were admitted into care during the past seven days, a 33-percent increase compared to the previous weeklong period. That includes 178 people sent directly to intensive care, a week-to-week increase of 47 percent.