Dutch coronavirus infections top 6,000; Hospital total hits highest point in 20 weeks

For the first time in three weeks, over six thousand new coronavirus infections were reported in the Netherlands. The country’s health institute, RIVM, said on Sunday it registered 6,350 more positive tests for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which raised the seven-day moving average to 5,020. That was the highest level since July 27.

The average rose by 8 percent on the news. It was 54 percent higher compared to last Sunday. The average number of people testing positive for the infection has steadily increased for a month. From October 16-22, about 14.6 percent of those tested by the GGD received a positive diagnosis for the infection. That neared the same rate as the second peak of the fourth wave of infections, brought on by the Delta variant of the virus. The first peak was 16.7 percent reached in mid-July.

The three cities with the most new infections were Amsterdam (259), The Hague (150), and Rotterdam (132). While the first two cities posted totals about 20 percent above average, Rotterdam’s figure was slightly below average. A relatively high number of infections was also reported in Apeldoorn (91) and Ede (79).To date, the RIVM has registered a total of 2,082,563 positive tests for the coronavirus.

Hospitals in the Netherlands were treating 748 people with Covid-19 on Sunday, the highest total since June 10. The patient total increased by 6 percent in a day and has jumped up by 35 percent in a week. A similar increase would put the total above a thousand by next Sunday.

The current hospital total included 185 patients in intensive care, six more than on Saturday. The ICU figure was still at its highest level in over a month, with 17 new patient admissions in the past 24 hours offset by 11 people who either died or were discharged from acute care.

The other 563 patients were in regular care wards, a net increase of 39 in a day. The regular care wards took on 88 new patients during the past 24 hours.

The number of Covid-19 hospital admissions for the calendar week was 55 percent higher compared to the previous week. Admissions just to an ICU were up by over a third. An average of 104 Covid-19 patients were admitted daily, including 17 sent directly to an intensive care unit.