Coronavirus infections up 77% over last week; Hospital admissions level

An additional 519 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus, according to preliminary data released on Friday by public health agency RIVM. It raised the total number of infections for the week beginning August 3 to 2,403.

That reflects an increase of 77 percent over the same period a week earlier when 1,355 people gave a positive test result. "The numbers are increasing. We should not panic, but it is now moving fast," Prime Minister Mark Rutte said during a press conference on Thursday.

Figures from patient coordination office LCPS showed that 105 people were being treated in hospitals for Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus strain. That was a decrease of three compared to Thursday.

There were 78 people being treated outside of the ICU, a reduction of one. Another 27 people were being treated in intensive care for the coronavirus disease, a decrease of two.

A total of 2,953 people in the Netherlands have been sent to the ICU for Covid-19 since late February. Of that group, 1,917 were eventually discharged from the hospital, and 868 died in intensive care.