6,000 new coronavirus infections the most this week; Hospital total drops below 2,000
Data released by public health agency RIVM on Friday showed that 5,974 more people tested positive for an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the most since November 13. At the same time, hospitals were treating 1,961 people for Covid-19, the lowest total since October 21.
Friday's total was about four percent more compared to the previous day, and about two percent lower than a week ago. It was the third-straight day of rising infections, though data released mid-week was hindered by an IT system outage.
The new tally pushed the total number of infections this week to 25,520, just four percent lower than last week. For the past seven days, an average of 5,274 people have tested positive for the viral infection.
Amsterdam showed a dramatic jump in infections after posting a particularly low figure on Thursday. The latest data showed 335 more residents were infected, nearly double the previous day, but still a 21 percent decrease compared to a week ago. With 297 infections, Rotterdam was next highest on the list despite an 11 percent decrease versus a week earlier. Utrecht (149) and The Hague (145) were third and fourth on the list, with the former showing a weekly increase of 15 percent, and the latter showing an 18 percent decrease.
Meanwhile, hospitals were treating fewer than two thousand Covid-19 patients for the first time in 30 days. Some 1,414 were in regular care, a decrease of 61 since Thursday and the lowest total since October 19. Intensive care units were caring for 547 patients, a single-day decrease of 8, and the lowest figure since October 28, patient coordination office LCPS said.
The 1,961 patient total was 10 percent lower than a week ago. For the past seven days, the total has fallen by an average of 1.5 percent. Should that rate hold, there will be fewer than 1,770 Covid-19 patients in hospitals next Friday.
The net decrease of 69 patients in both regular and intensive care was calculated after deaths, discharges, and new admissions. During the 24-hour period leading up to Friday afternoon, hospitals admitted 217 new coronavirus patients in regular care, and 35 people were moved into an ICU.
To date, hospitals have treated 23,589 people in regular care for Covid-19. Intensive care units have admitted 5,242 patients with the coronavirus disease.
An estimated 51 more deaths in the Netherlands were also attributed to Covid-19, the RIVM data showed. That lowered the seven-day average to 68.
A total of 473,190 people in the Netherlands have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus since the end of February. At least 8,822 of them died as a result of Covid-19, including 4,557 who passed away in a hospital.
