Coronavirus daily average below 10,000 with sharp fall in Covid-19 hospitalizations
Health authorities in the Netherlands released data on Tuesday that showed that the average number of daily infections of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus fell below 10,000 for the first time since early November. Infections recorded the past seven days fell by 48 percent, the second straight week the decrease was more than 40 percent. Hospitals in the Netherlands also admitted between 20 and 30 percent fewer Covid-19 patients last week when compared to the week before.
The RIVM said that 66,788 people tested positive for the coronavirus since the morning of April 5. That was 48 percent lower than the 129,188 registered the week prior. It was the first official weekly report from the RIVM with fewer than 70,000 infections over a seven-day period since the health institute’s report on November 2. The positivity rate remained nearly level at 61.2 percent, but with 110,655 tests completed, half as many as the week before.
The basic reproduction (R) value dropped to 0.69, meaning 100 people contagious with the virus on March 28 passed it on to 69 others. They then infected 48 people, who spread the coronavirus to 33 more individuals. When the R-value is below 1.00, the number of infections is projected to continue to fall.
Hospitalizations fall by up to 30 percent
Covid-19 patient admissions fell by 21 percent last week, according to hospital coordination service LCPS. Some 1,031 patients with the disease were admitted into hospital care the past seven days, down from 1,297 the previous week. Intensive care admissions may have dropped even more significantly. The LCPS data showed that there was a 41 percent decrease in Covid-19 patients that entered intensive care. The ICUs took on 54 patients last week, down from 91.
The LCPS counts all hospitalized patients who test positive for the coronavirus in their statistics, regardless of the reason they were initially admitted to a hospital. Intensive care monitor NICE only counts those patients in active care with Covid-19 symptoms. Their figures are often preliminary, and are revised upwards in the days that follow.
Using figures from NICE, the RIVM said that there was a sharper 29 percent fall in hospitalizations. It knew of 889 new cases in the past week, down from 1,248 the week prior. However, the organizations showed a more modest 20 percent reduction in intensive care admissions, which fell from 85 to 68.
The RIVM said it learned of 81 deaths caused by Covid-19 last week, down from 113. It is not required to report the deaths to the RIVM, and often the health institute learns of the such deaths weeks after they happen.
Covid infections down among all age groups, especially children and over-60s
The current infection total reflected 373 infections per 100,000 inhabitants of the Netherlands. A reduction was reported across all age groups, with per capita infections down by more than half in children under 18 years of age, and adults aged 60 and up. Cumulatively, the most infections were found in people in their fifties, who tested positive 12,264 times. People in their thirties were diagnosed with the coronavirus 12,093 times.
Utrecht led all regions with 5,965 total infections, followed by Rotterdam-Rijnmond (4,910), Haaglanden (4,556), and Amsterdam-Amstelland (4,368). Noord- en Oost-Gelderland reported the most infections per 100,000 residents with 455.2.
Infections transmitted between members of the same household accounted for 46 percent of new infections among a random sample of 1,600 people who discussed their situation with researchers. Visits to other households led to 17 percent of infections, and offices and workspaces were linked to another 16 percent.
Parties and happy hours resulted in 8 percent of infections, 7 percent were from schools and childcare, and over 6 percent of new infections were from hospitality and catering businesses.