Covid-19 ICU cases below 400 for first time since Mar. 20

There were 378 patients from the Netherlands in intensive care on Friday receiving treatment for Covid-19. Just three of those patients were being treated in Germany, compared to a month ago when 58 were in German medical facilities.

The improvement in the country's ICU situation over the past week was largely due to more patients being discharged. A total of 110 people who were treated in intensive care were released from the hospital in the week ending Friday, and 16 people have died, according to preliminary figures from nonprofit organization NICE.

The eight percent decrease in the ICU patient total was the best improvement in capacity in three weeks. Compared to Thursday, there were 32 fewer patients from the Netherlands requiring intensive care, patient coordination office LCPS said.

The added space meant non-Covid care increased overall, with 527 people being treated in ICU for illnesses unrelated to coronavirus. "The utilization of the ICUs is at a normal level; the ICU capacity freed up due to a decrease in the number of COVID patients is being fully utilized for other care," said Ernst Kuipers, who runs the acute care network in the Netherlands.

Since the end of February, 2,831 have required ICU treatment for Covid-19, of which 1,094 have been discharged and 784 have died. As of Friday, 566 former ICU patients were being cared for in other nursing wards.