RIVM: 21,350 new coronavirus infections; 2,600 in hospitals

Some 21,350 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Thursday and Friday morning, the RIVM showed in its daily update of raw data. The daily figure was down about 900 compared to the previous day, and was more than 2,400 below the record set on Wednesday. Still, it was the 11th consecutive day where more than 20,000 infections were reported in the Netherlands.

The update pushed the seven-day moving average up slightly to 22,301. The average was 19 percent higher compared to a week earlier. It was also 66 percent higher than on November 13, when the latest round of coronavirus restrictions was introduced in the country.

A new round of restrictions was expected to be announced Friday night. Reports surfaced this week that it would include measures ordering all hospitality businesses, many service-oriented businesses, and all non-essential shops to close between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. Additionally, a face mask requirement could be introduced for some primary school students and all secondary school students.

Between November 18 and 24, roughly 22.1 percent of people tested for the coronavirus were diagnosed with the infection. That number was down from a peak of 22.5 percent, the highest recorded in the Netherlands. An average of 93,100 people were tested daily by the GGD during that time.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (768), Rotterdam (655), and The Hague (402). The total in Amsterdam was about 14 percent below average, and in The Hague it was 16 percent below average. Rotterdam's figure was roughly level with its mean.

Hospitals were treating two percent more patients with Covid-19 on Friday afternoon compared to Thursday. The hospital total stood at 2,598, an increase of 53 after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The total was about 21 percent higher compared to a week ago. A similar increase would put the figure at 3,148.

With 528 Covid-19 patients, the intensive care units actually saw a slight net decrease of two, the first recorded fall since November 10. However the figure remained at its highest point since late May. The ICU system took on 46 more patients with Covid-19 during the preceding 24 hours, slightly higher than the seven-day average of 42.

The regular care wards were treating the other 2,070 patients with Covid-19. That figure rose by 55 in a day to its highest point since January 6. Those departments admitted 338 more patients with the disease, well above the daily average of 298.

During the past seven days, hospitals admitted a total of 2,381 people for Covid-19, a 23 percent increase compared to the week before. That total includes 294 patients sent to an intensive care unit, up from 273 the previous week.