Record positive Covid tests worrying, but not unexpected: Epidemiologists

While the record 24,590 positive Covid-19 tests in the Netherlands on Wednesday are worrying, it is not an unexpected development. Epidemiologists Patricia Bruijning of UMC Utrecht and Frits Roosendaal of LUMC said this to NOS. "We knew this was going to happen," Bruijning said.

"As soon as the Omicron variant took over in the Netherlands, exponential growth occurred. The infections then increase faster and faster," Bruijning said. She pointed out that public health institute RIVM traditionally reports higher figures on Wednesday and Thursday, so it is better to look at the weekly average. In the past seven days, 17,478 positive tests were registered per day, 41 percent more than the previous seven days.

"The vast majority of those who tested positive now are infected with Omicron. The reproduction number is 1.8, so someone infects about two other people," microbiologist Bert Niesters of UMC Groningen said to NOS. "I had not expected almost 25,000 positive tests [on Wednesday], rather at the end of the week. That is a worrying development. It shows that the virus is spreading fast, and the booster campaign is crucial."

The infection figures could continue to increase for weeks, the experts said to the broadcaster. "Where it will end is hard to say. Maybe at 35,000 or 100,000 positive tests per day," Roosendaal said. "I think we will follow Denmark and see a rapid increase in the number of infections here too. After all, we are now doing nothing extra to reduce the numbers. In fact, we will open part of education next week, evening though I think that is a good idea."