Covid hospital total at highest point in over 90 days; Infections slashed in half since March 11

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 2,051 patients with Covid-19 on Monday afternoon, the highest total reported by the LCPS since December 24. The figure rose by 120 after accounting for new admissions, discharges and deaths. It has remained above 1,800 since March 14, periodically bouncing above the 2,000 mark.

At the same time, the intensive care units were treating 135 patients with the disease, a net decrease of 20. The ICU tally was at its lowest point since October 10. It has remained below 200 for nearly seven weeks. The other 1,916 patients were in regular care wards, an increase of 140 since Sunday. Those hospital departments were treating the most patients with the coronavirus disease since mid-December.

The combined total of 2,051 was about 2 percent higher than a week ago. A similar increase would push the total up towards 2,100. The LCPS counts all patients who test positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in their statistics, because they have to be isolated away from others, creating a strain on hospital resources. The LCPS monitors hospital overcrowding, and coordinates patient transfers when necessary.

A total of 21,504 people in the Netherlands tested positive for the coronavirus between Sunday and Monday morning. That was the lowest amount since January 4. It brought the seven-day moving average down to 33,172, according to a combination of raw and corrected data from the RIVM. The moving average has fallen by 52 percent since March 11, when the average was 69,191.

About 65.7 percent of those tested by the GGD between March 20-26 were diagnosed with the infection. During that time, about 49,400 people were tested daily. That total was 67,800 a week earlier. The number of tests conducted daily has fallen quickly and consistently for about three weeks.

The three cities with the most new infections in the latest round of a data were Amsterdam (823), Rotterdam (661) and The Hague (568).