Coronavirus 7-day average shoots up again; Hospitalizations rising

The seven-day average for coronavirus infections rose for the twelfth straight time in the Netherlands. The figure ticked up 18 percent to 6,667 infections diagnosed per day, preliminary data from the RIVM showed. That was the highest average since May 11, and was more than 10 times the figure on June 30.

The average was 572 percent higher than a week ago after a surge in Delta variant infections that surprised politicians and their outbreak advisors alike, the result of lifting most lockdown restrictions on June 26. On Friday, a handful of restrictions were re-introduced, like closing nightclubs, and limiting capacity and opening hours at hospitality businesses and festivals.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. was curt and dismissive when reporters asked critical questions about Cabinet-level mistakes on Friday. He apologized on Monday for enacting policy that led to a surge in infections, and for not directly responding to the pointed questioning.

Some 8,522 more people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the RIVM said on Monday. That was largely driven by infections in Amsterdam (1,159), Rotterdam (447) and Groningen (440), though there were signs that the data set could be incomplete due to low outlier figures in The Hague, Eindhoven, and elsewhere.

Infection data from the RIVM is frequently lower on Sunday and Monday as a result of weekend staffing levels and an overall trend of fewer people getting tested for the infection on weekends versus during the week.

There were 213 people being treated for Covid-19 in Dutch hospitals on Monday, the most since July 5, suggesting that the 10-week fall in patient total has stagnated. The patient total rose by seven in a day, after accounting for admissions, discharges and deaths.

There were 11 more patients in regular care wards, bringing that total up to 129, the highest in ten days. The other 84 patients were in intensive care, reflecting a net decrease of four, the lowest since September 20.

Daily average hospital admissions for the disease rose to 12, based on weekend data, including two immediate ICU admissions. That was up from ten, including fewer than one daily ICU admission, reported a week ago.