Nearly 4,200 more positive coronavirus tests, the highest number since mid-April

The number of new coronavirus infections diagnosed on a daily bases is rising rapidly. The RIVM recorded 4,166 positive tests between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. That is the highest number since April 14, more than two months ago.

In the past seven days, the GGD municipal health services uncovered 18,809 coronavirus infections. That equates to an average of 2,687 positive tests per day. That average has increased by almost 74 percent in a week.

Almost two weeks ago there were fewer than a thousand confirmed infections per day. Last week, the daily average exceeded 2,000. On Wednesday there were more than 3,000 positive tests for the first time in months, and a day later the 4,000 mark was broken.

The RIVM said that the increase is probably the start of a new coronavirus wave. This is probably due to the emergence of two new versions of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The health institute said it does not know how high the number of infections can continue to rise, and when the peak of the new wave will be reached. People get just as sick from the new sub-variants as from previous Omicron versions, but if the number of infections increases, the number of hospital admissions may eventually also increase.

One of the ways in which the RIVM monitors the spread of the coronavirus by regularly measuring sewage. Recently, a trend emerged where more virus particles were found in sewage samples. In addition, more people are reporting positive self-tests and symptoms via the RIVM's Infectieradar website.

The number of people visiting a GGD test site to get confirmation of a positive self-test is also increasing. A self-test has been considered sufficient since April, when the government stopped advising people to get confirmation of a home test. Those who still want to obtain one can visit the GGD for a PCR test.