Dutch Covid infections near 25,000 for second straight record-breaking day

A total of 24,700 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Wednesday and Thursday morning, breaking the single-day record set just a day earlier by 110. Additionally, the RIVM said that a technical malfunction may have caused an underreporting of infections.

The new infection pushed the seven-day moving average up to 18,932, a 50 percent increase in one week. The moving average has gone up each of the past nine days. During that time, it rose to its highest point since December 11.

The number of infections diagnosed among the residents of Amsterdam totaled 2,246, slightly lower than Wednesday's record-breaking total. The city's seven-day average has doubled in a week to 1,576. A total of 1,180 Rotterdammers also tested positive, pushing that city's average up to 900. That's nearly two-thirds higher in one week's time, similar to what happened in Utrecht. Another 838 people there tested positive, bringing the moving average there to 508. The Hague also registered 680 infections, to push its mean up to 529.

Out of those tested for the infection by the GGD during the seven day period ending on January 4, a record high 34.3 percent tested positive. GGD testing figures continued to rise, topping 59,000 tests per day. That was a 24 percent increase in a week.

Patient coordination office LCPS has said that it is monitoring the impact of the rising number of coronavirus infections, likely caused by the Omicron variant. "Its effect on hospital figures (influx and occupancy) are still unclear, but the influx of new patients is expected to rise again in mid-January," The LCPS previously stated.

Hospitals continued to reduce the number of patients with Covid-19 in treatment. A total of 1,551 such patients were in care on Thursday afternoon, a decrease of six percent in a day after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The total was 17 percent lower compared to a week ago. A similar decrease would bring the figure below 1,300, according to data from the LCPS.

There were 429 people in intensive care units, including ten who were in German hospitals. There were 30 fewer ICU patients compared to Wednesday afternoon. Another 1,122 were in regular care wards, a net decrease of 1,122.

Dutch hospitals admitted 121 patients with Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. That included 12 who were sent directly to an intensive care unit, the lowest daily total since October 18. On average, hospitals admitted 146 patients each of the past seven days, a weekly decrease of 19 percent.