Dutch Covid total shows sharpest decrease in months

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 1,398 patients with Covid-19 on Saturday. That reflected a net decrease of 125 in a day, or about 8 percent compared to Friday. In terms of patient volume, it was the sharpest fall since New Year’s Day. The rate of decrease was the largest reported by the LCPS since September 22, more than five months ago.

The intensive care units saw an increase of ten patients to 169, which accounts for new admissions, discharges, and deaths. Although that was the biggest increase in a week, Friday’s total had been the lowest reported in over four months. The other 1,229 patients were in regular care wards, a net decrease of 125 that brought the figure to its lowest point in three weeks.

The combined patient total of 1,398 was 10 percent lower than last Saturday, the most improvement week-on-week in a month. A similar decrease would bring the total below 1,270.

Additionally, the RIVM said that 32,967 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. That was the lowest daily figure reported in nearly six weeks. It brought the seven-day average down slightly to 37,207. The average has consistently decreased over the past 14 days, falling by 30 percent just in the past week.

The basic reproduction (R) value also fell to its lowest level in seven months, dipping to 0.80. That means that 100 people contagious with the virus on February 14 infected 80 others, who then gave the virus to 64 more people. An R-value below 1.00 signifies an expected consistent reduction in new infections.

At the same time, the upward trend in positivity rate continued. About 61.4% of those tested by the GGD between February 19-25 were given a positive diagnosis. During that time, 57,000 people were tested daily, a weekly fall of 39 percent.

The latest data showed 1,303 new infections in Amsterdam, more than any other municipality. That was followed by Utrecht (1,168), and Rotterdam (880). Of the three, Amsterdam’s total was 16 percent below average, Utrecht’s total was 12 percent above average, and Rotterdam’s figure was almost exactly in line with the mean there.