Nearly 15K coronavirus infections so far this week; 38 more deaths

Some 2,718 more people tested positive for an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus, the RIVM said on Saturday. While the figure was slightly lower than Friday’s record-breaking day, it was still 43 percent higher than the single-day tally reported last Saturday.

It brought the week’s total up to 14,858, a 51 percent increase over last week. To date, nearly 109 thousand people have tested positive for the viral infection.

The public health agency said that the deaths of 38 more people were linked to Covid-19, the most reported in a single day since mid-May. It was also nearly three times higher than the current seven-day average, preliminary dates from the agency showed.

Hospitalizations for Covid-19 also rose again, extending a streak of rising hospital totals dating back to September 2. There were 555 patients in Dutch hospitals with the coronavirus disease, an increase of eight.

“The number of admitted covid patients is increasing further. 68% of them are located in the regions of Amsterdam, Leiden - The Hague, Rotterdam and Brabant,” said Ernst Kuipers, the head of the Dutch acute care providers network.

Patient coordination office LCPS said that 122 of these patients were being treated in intensive care, a figure which stood at just 36 two weeks earlier. It was also up two since Friday. Outside of the ICU, hospitals were treating another 433 for Covid-19, six more than the previous day.