Over 22,200 Covid infections but average falls for first time in 8 weeks
Another 22,274 people in the Netherlands were diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection between Wednesday and Thursday morning. While that was still the fifth-highest number of infections reported in a single day, it was low enough to bring down the seven-day moving average four the first time since September 30.
The average fell by one percent to 22,265, based solely on raw data, and 22,218 when accounting for data corrections announced earlier in the week. The average was still 23 percent higher compared to a week ago. However, even though a record high of 23,789 new infections was disclosed on Wednesday, there were some signs this week that the growth was starting to flatten out since the weekend.
About 22.4 percent of people tested at the GGD between November 17 - 23 received a positive diagnosis for the infection. That also fell for the first time in weeks, dropping from a record high of 22.5. An average of about 92,100 people were tested each of those days.
Amsterdam by far led the way with most new infections, with 992 reported in the capital. That pushed the city's average up to 876. Rotterdam was in second with 749 residents testing positive, bringing the city's average to 615.
There was another five percent increase in Covid-19 patients being treated in the intensive care system. There were 530 patients with the disease in an ICU on Thursday, up 25 in a day after accounting for new admissions, discharges, and deaths. Another 2,015 were being treated in regular care wards, a net decrease of 15.
Hospitals were treating 2,545 people with Covid-19, the LCPS said. That was slightly higher than on Wednesday. The total has gone up by 21 percent in a week. A similar increase will push the total up to 3,074.
Including 353 people with the disease admitted the past 24 hours, hospitals have taken on 2,314 people with the disease just this past week. That was 23 percent higher than the previous week. Out of that total, 297 were sent directly to an intensive care unit, a 15 percent increase.