Number of new coronavirus cases on the rise again, but no new wave yet
The number of positive coronavirus tests has begun to rise again, although there is no official new wave yet. In the past week, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) registered 8,307 confirmed infections. That is the highest weekly total since Aug. 25, more than two weeks ago.
Compared to the previous seven days, the number of positive tests has increased by more than 8 percent. On Thursday, the weekly total was almost 9 percent higher than in the week before. This is the largest increase in a week since July 13, almost two months ago, the peak of the summer wave.
There is no explanation for the increase available yet, so it is not clear whether the increase could have something to do with the start of the new school year, for example. Between Thursday morning and Friday morning, the RIVM registered 1,219 positive tests. The Hague led the list with 56 new cases. This was followed by Rotterdam at 52, Amsterdam at 48, Eindhoven at 22 and Groningen at 20. On Wednesday, there were nearly 1,500 new cases, the highest number in three weeks.
The so-called reproduction number, which indicates how quickly the coronavirus is spreading, is above 1 for the first time since the beginning of July. That also points to a slow increase in the number of positive tests.
The number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospitals will continue to fall for the time being. There are now 417 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus. That is the lowest number since June 10, when the summer wave had yet to get underway.
Reporting by ANP