Omicron responsible for 80 percent of Amsterdam coronavirus infections

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus currently accounts for 80 percent of infections in the Amsterdam region. The conclusion was based on the results of random sample analysis, the Amsterdam University Medical Center and the GGD Amsterdam announced on Wednesday.

Out of the 92 positive coronavirus tests analyzed by researchers, 74 contained the Omicron variant. The positive test samples were collected on Tuesday.

The Omicron variant has been dominant in the Amsterdam region since the beginning of last week, and the share has continued to increase since then. In Monday's sample, 72 of the 94 positive test results contained the Omicron variant (77 percent), and 60 out of 93 positive tests on Boxing Day involved the new variant (65 percent).

The figures appeared on the Twitter account of the ARGOS partnership, which stands for Amsterdam Regional Genomic Epidemiology and Outbreak Surveillance. These are positive results from coronavirus tests that were conducted by the Amsterdam branch of the GGD. The GGD region covers Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Uithoorn, Aalsmeer, Diemen and Ouder-Amstel.

The number of coronavirus infections in Amsterdam and the surrounding area has been increasing since December 19, while the figures in many parts of the rest of the country have continued to fall. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported on Tuesday that the Omicron variant now also causes the majority of infections nationwide.