Covid hospital total shows sharpest weekend increase since March

Hospitals are seeing an increase in the number of patients in care who have tested positive for the coronavirus. They are currently treating 842 people who are infected with the virus, a 40 percent increase in a week, said patient coordination service LCPS. That is the highest number since 5 August, almost two months ago.

Since Friday, the number of people admitted into care with the infection increased by 146. That is the largest increase over a weekend since 14 March. The LCPS stopped updating hospital figures over the weekends and holidays in mid-April.

Last Monday, there were 601 patients who tested positive, and 466 the Monday before that. That means that the occupancy has increased by just over 80 percent in two weeks. If this rate of increase continues, hospitals will be treating more than a thousand people with the coronavirus in just a few days’ time.

The LCPS figures do not distinguish between people who were admitted because of symptoms caused by Covid-19, and people who were being treated for other health ailments and also happened to be infected. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) does make that distinction, and also observed more admissions due to Covid-19. The institute said it appears the autumn coronavirus wave has started.

Since Sunday afternoon, 149 people with a coronavirus infection were admitted to a hospital. That is the largest influx since July 26. On the other hand, people also exit hospitalized care, due to death or because they have recovered sufficiently, which resulted in a net increase.

It is especially busy in the regular care wards, where there are 798 positively-tested people. That is 143 more than Friday and 230 more than last Monday. Some 44 patients with coronavirus are now in intensive care units, three more than Friday.