Coronavirus average falls for 7 days straight with 16,671 new infections today

An average of 18,445 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus each of the past seven days, according to raw data from the RIVM. The number dropped to its lowest point since November 18. It was 16 percent lower than a week ago, having fallen every day since last Sunday when the figure was 21,853.

A total of 16,671 people were diagnosed with the infection between Saturday and Sunday morning, according to the raw data. That was the lowest since November 14. The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (728), Rotterdam (647), and The Hague (526). Rotterdam was roughly level with the city’s average, while the capital was a bit above average, and The Hague was slightly below its mean.

An estimated 24 percent of those tested by the GGD during the seven-day period ending on Friday received a positive diagnosis. That figure was unchanged at the all-time record. About 70,000 people were tested each day during that period, down from an average of 95,600 the preceding period. Both the positivity rate and test numbers were possibly affected by the government’s request that those with mild symptoms first use a self-test before contacting the GGD for a test.

The number of new Covid-19 hospitalizations registered between Saturday and Sunday afternoon marked a four-week low, according to figures from the LCPS. A total of 251 people with the disease were admitted into care, including 33 sent directly to an intensive care unit. Both figures were well below the seven-day average of 318 hospitalizations with 42 moved into an ICU.

The number of new hospitalizations this week, 2,224, was four percent compared to a week ago. Intensive care admissions were nearly the same at 292, compared to 293 last week.

There were 2,782 people being treated for Covid-19 on Sunday, 18 more than on Saturday, after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. That total was three percent higher than a week earlier. A similar increase would put the hospital total at 2,878.

The hospital tally includes 662 people in intensive care units, an increase of seven. Twenty of them were being treated in Germany. The other 2,120 were in regular care wards, a net increase of 11.

The LCPS noted that that the number of patients in intensive care rose about 10 percent in a week, while the regular care wards showed a much more stable tally that rose by just over 1 percent. The organization said it expected to continue moving patients between regions to reduce the pressure on the healthcare sector.