Over 32,100 more coronavirus infections; Covid hospital total at 11-week low

The RIVM confirmed 32,149 new coronavirus infections diagnosed between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, the third-highest total for a single 24 hour period since the start of the pandemic. It pushed the seven-day moving average up another 4 percent to a record 29,927.

The average has gone up each of the past 15 days, setting a new record for the past five straight days. A combination of raw and corrected data put the figure at 29,868, a 71 percent increase in a week.

About 34.1 percent of people tested by the GGD from January 4-10 received a positive diagnosis. Some 87,700 were tested each day during that period, on average, up 61 percent in a week.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (2,516), Rotterdam (1,545), and The Hague (1,442). The seven-day averages in each city have roughly doubled in a week.

At the same time, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals fell to its lowest point since November 6. Patient admissions during the previous 24 hour period also neared a 10-week low. Thus far, per capita infections during the surge since Christmas has affected people between 10 and 39 years of age more than older populations. Infections have consistently fallen in people 60 years old and up since December.

Hospitals were treating 1,435 people with Covid-19 on Wednesday afternoon, a net decrease of 4 percent after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. The total was 13 percent lower versus a week earlier. A similar decrease would bring the total close to 1,250.

There were 378 patients in intensive care units, three of whom were receiving care in Germany. That was 17 fewer than on Tuesday. The other 1,057 were being treated in regular care wards, a net decrease of 45.

Dutch hospitals admitted 105 patients with Covid-19 since Tuesday afternoon, including 11 sent directly to intensive care units. That was the lowest single-day total since October 25. Hospitals admitted an average of 135 patients each of the past seven days, down 11 percent in a week.