Nearly 75,000 new Covid infections; Hospital total hits 2-month high

Some 74,588 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Wednesday and Thursday morning, the most reported on a day since February 14. That pushed the seven-day moving average up for the tenth straight day to 68,806, the highest it has been in over three weeks. At the same time, hospitals in the Netherlands were treating the most patients with Covid-19 since early January

Despite the recent rise in both infections and hospitalizations, the Cabinet is expected to announce plans on Tuesday to eliminate the few remaining coronavirus restrictions. That policy change would take effect on March 23.

Figures from the RIVM put the moving average 78 percent higher than it was last Thursday. About 69.4 percent of those tested by the GGD between March 2-8 received a positive diagnosis for the coronavirus infection. Roughly 96,300 people were tested each day during that period, about 76 percent higher than the previous week.

Provincially, Noord-Brabant remained home to the most new infections, accounting for over a fifth of Thursday's total. Nearly 117,000 of the province's residents tested positive this past week, an all-time high that coincides with the end of the Carnival period.

The three cities with the most new infections in the latest data were Amsterdam (2,585), Utrecht (1,830), and Rotterdam (1,650). All three were well above their respective averages.

The number of patients with Covid-19 in Dutch hospitals grew for the fifth straight day. The patient total stood at 1,658, an increase of 28 since Wednesday afternoon after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. That total has shot up by 18 percent in a week. A similar increase would put the figure above 1,950.

There were 1,498 patients in regular care wards, a net increase of 38. That was the highest total in regular care since December 24. The other 160 patients were in intensive care units, a net decrease of ten. That figure has remained below 200 for a month.

Hospitalizations for Covid-19 have gone up by 28 percent on average in a week. On average, hospitals admitted 194 patients with the disease each of the past seven days, up from 152 the previous period. Some 230 patients with the disease were admitted between Wednesday and Thursday morning, including 18 sent directly to intensive care.