Coronavirus infections keep climbing; Hospital total down 50% in a month

The Netherlands set another new coronavirus record on Thursday. An average of 31,175 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus each of the past seven days, a figure which has continued to climb for 16 consecutive days. During that time, it has increased by 158 percent. However, the record level of infections has not yet caused Covid-19 hospital patient levels to climb, with the hospital total having been slashed in half since December 14.

A total of 33,436 people tested positive for the coronavirus between Wednesday and Thursday morning, according to raw data from the RIVM. That pushed the seven-day average up another 4 percent. A combination of raw and corrected data put the average at 31,117, reflecting a 65 percent increase in a week.

About 33.8 percent of those tested by the GGD received a positive diagnosis for the infection during the January 5-11 period. That figure has fallen slightly this week. During that time, the GGD tested over 89,700 people per day on average, a 52 percent weekly increase.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (3,437), Rotterdam (2,189), and The Hague (1,107). The average in the capital rose to 2,814, a 79-percent hike in a week. The averages in Rotterdam and The Hague have doubled since last Thursday to 1,761 and 1,086, respectively.

There were 1,363 people being treated for Covid-19 in hospitals on Thursday, nearly 51 percent lower than a month earlier. The figure fell by 5 percent since Wednesday afternoon, after accounting for new admissions, discharges, and deaths, to its lowest point since November 5. That reflected a 12 percent drop in a week, which, if repeated, would bring the total down to 1,200.

Some 361 patients were in intensive care units, including three people in German hospitals, a net decrease of 17. The ICU total was at its lowest point since November 12. The other 1,002 patients were in regular care wards, a net decrease of 55.

Dutch hospitals admitted 112 new Covid-19 patients in the past 24 hours, including 12 sent directly to intensive care. On average, hospitals admitted 134 patients with the disease each of the past seven days, about 8 percent lower than a week ago. Hospital admissions were down to their lowest point since October 29.