Dutch PM, Health Minister call public to adhere to coronavirus rules

As the number of coronavirus infections in the Netherlands continues to increase, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health called on Netherlands residents to adhere to the rules in place to curb the spread of the virus. "We've got the coronavirus under control with great concerted effort over the past months, but it will continue to take an incredible amount of discipline to keep it under control," they wrote in an open letter published on Facebook.

"The virus doesn't spread itself, people do that," Rutte and De Jonge wrote. "Therefore the basic rules apply unabated, everywhere, and to everyone. That should go without saying, but unfortunately we see that the recent outbreaks were mainly due to non-compliance with the basic rules that we all know."

Maintain social distancing, stay home if you have symptoms and arrange to get tested, avoid crowds, work from home as much as possible, wash your hands. "We must continue to follow those rules, including on the terrace, the beach and the campsite," they wrote. "Together we got this virus under control, together we will have to keep it under control. We must all take our responsibility for this. Each for themselves and with 17 million people together."

Rutte and De Jonge said that they are concerned about the increasing number of Covid-19 cases. "It goes without saying that the cabinet continuously keeps its finger on the pulse. The most involved Ministers are in daily contact an the last few there were again intensive discussions about the state of affairs."

The Outbreak Management Team is meeting again. On Tuesday the team will publish its advice on wearing face masks in public. On Thursday it will give advice on how to best deal with quarantine for potentially infected people.