Dutch Covid average falls further but Omicron pushing Amsterdam tally higher
The national daily average number of new coronavirus infections fell for the 19th consecutive day, according to new data from the RIVM. At the same time, figures in Amsterdam hit a three week high. Also notable is that the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the past day dropped to the lowest level in more than seven weeks.
Some 12,517 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Thursday and Friday morning. That brought the seven-day moving average down to 12,731, according to raw data. The average has was 16 percent lower compared to a week earlier.
The GGD continued to test about 52,000 people per day, with 23.5 percent of them receiving a positive diagnosis during the seven-day period ending on Tuesday. However, the government has asked people to use self-testing far more often, which could lead to reduced testing figures and a higher positivity rate if those testing negative at home do not call the GGD for a follow-up test.
There was a surge in testing requests the last few days, the GGD told ANP. The organization has received a ten percent increase in requests for an appointment, possibly from those wanting to be as safe as possible before visiting family members during the Christmas weekend.
The Amsterdam branch of the GGD confirmed Thursday evening that 63 percent of positive tests in the city were due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. The city had the highest number of infections out of all municipalities in the country.
Some 850 residents tested positive between Thursday and Friday morning. That was the highest single-day total in three weeks. It was also well above the city's average of 683. Rotterdam had 101 more infections than its average of 488, and in The Hague, 349 people tested positive, about 11 percent below average.
The LCPS said that 169 new Covid-19 patients were admitted into hospital care between Thursday and Friday afternoon. That was the lowest in a single day since November 1. It included 24 patients sent directly to intensive care.
The overall number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients fell for the 13th time in 15 days. There were 2,145 such patients in care, 95 fewer than on Thursday afternoon, after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The total was 13 percent lower than the week before. A similar decrease would bring the figure down to 1,866.
There were 565 patients in intensive care units, including 19 in German hospitals. The ICU figure showed a net decrease of 18, bringing it close to its lowest point in a month. The other 1,580 patients were in regular care wards, a net decrease of 77 taking it to its lowest level since November 14.
Dutch hospitals admitted 1,376 patients with the disease in the past seven days, down 24 percent in a week. That includes 182 people sent directly to intensive care units, down from 256.