Dutch Covid hospitalizations near 10-week low
Despite the explosive rise in new coronavirus infections that started just after Christmas, hospitalizations due to Covid-19 have continued to fall. About 995 people were admitted into care since last weekend, 20 percent lower than a week ago. It was the lowest number of hospital admissions in almost ten weeks.
At its peak, about 360 patients were admitted daily during the seven-day period ending on December 2. That figure has reduced down substantially. It fell for the past nine days in a row, dipping to 142 per day, figures from the LCPS showed. That includes 18 people sent directly to an intensive care unit. The LCPS said that 131 people were admitted between Thursday and Friday afternoon, including 16 intensive care patients.
Members of the Outbreak Management Team met on Friday to discuss the rising infections, caused by the Omicron variant, and data indicating how pathogenic the variant is. The group will continue to discuss the issue on Wednesday, before meeting with members of the new Cabinet on Thursday. A press conference could be held on Friday to announce any changes to the current lockdown, which is expected to be extended beyond the January 14 end date.
“The high number of infections will lead to an increase in the number of patients, but you don't know exactly how many. It is not the same as with previous waves. There is uncertainty. So you have to look carefully at what is possible," Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said on Friday. He will depart from his role at the Ministry of Health on Monday, when he is expected to be replaced by Ernst Kuipers, the acute care leader who also heads the LCPS.
On Friday, the LCPS continued to maintain its position that hospitalizations due to the coronavirus disease were likely to rise by mid-January.
There were 1,526 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals on Friday afternoon, the fourth consecutive day that the figure has fallen. The tally was 14 percent lower compared to a week ago. A similar decrease would put the total at 1,315.
The current patient total includes 419 people in intensive care units, ten of whom were being treated in Germany. The ICU patient total fell by ten in a day, after accounting for new admissions, discharges, and deaths. There were 1,107 others in regular care wards, a net decrease of 15.
Just over four weeks ago, the hospital total was 2,848.