Coronavirus risk level elevated in eight Dutch regions

The coronavirus risk levels of four security regions in the Netherlands was elevated to the most critical Level 3, or “serious”, on Saturday, while four others were raised to Level 2, or “worrying”. The status of the regions changed after the Netherlands continued in its worst-ever week for new infections since mass testing of the public began, posting 6,500 new infections on Saturday.

Three other regions had already been placed at Level 3 in September, which means residents of nearly the entire Randstad area were at an elevated risk for becoming infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The new regions added to the list include Hollands Midden, Utrecht, Zaanstreek-Waterland and Zuid-Holland-Zuid.

Collectively, they cover the municipalities of Amersfoort, Dordrecht, Gouda, Leiden, Purmerend, Utrecht, and Zaandam.

Amsterdam-Amstelland, Haaglanden and Rotterdam-Rijnmond also remained at the elevated level. The only Randstad regions at Level 2, or “Worrying”, were Gooi en Vechtstreek and Kennemerland.

IJsselland, Limburg-Noord, Limburg-Zuid and Zeeland were also elevated from Level 1, “Vigilant”, to Level 2 on Saturday, according to the national government’s Coronavirus Dashboard. None of the 25 security regions in the Netherlands remained at the lowest of the three levels.

A region is placed at Level 3 when it reports more than 150 infections per 100 thousand inhabitants in a seven-day period, or if more than ten percent of those given a coronavirus test come back with a positive result. “Tough action is needed to prevent further escalation, and to return to a manageable situation,” the government said of regions at Level 3. It signifies that source and contact investigation is not effective and that people are not adhering to existing measures.

At Level 2, regions already face increasing pressure on the healthcare system, and a more urgent need for a customized approach to protect vulnerable people. “The existing approach needs to be strengthened with additional measures to bring the spread of the virus back under control and return to a manageable situation,” the Dashboard stated.