Covid hospital total dips slightly, but new infections could be back on the rise

Hospitals in the Netherlands recorded a 3 percent decrease in the number of patients with Covid-19 being treated as in-patients. There were 622 people with the disease in hospital care, including 37 in intensive care units. The total hospital tally has been relatively stable for three weeks, and the ICU tally has been below 40 since November 11.

The patient coordination office, LCPS, said on Tuesday that an average of 69 patients were admitted each of the past seven days. That is about 10 percent lower compared to the previous week. In both weeks, an average of four new Covid-19 patients were sent directly to the ICU. Data from the RIVM showed a similar stabilization in the number of hospitalizations related to Covid-19 during the last calendar week.

There was also a 5 percent increase in the number of people who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which rose to 5,432. It was the first increase since the beginning of October, according to data from the RIVM. There was also a 19 percent increase in coronavirus infections diagnosed among nursing home residents. At the same time, there was just a 1 percent rise in the number of coronavirus tests completed by the GGD, which was just below 7,200.

More disconcerting is the continued increase in the basic reproduction (R) number. That figure went up from 0.92 to 0.98. That means that 100 people contagious with the coronavirus on November 22 went on to infect 98 others. They passed the virus on to 96 people, who then infected 94 individuals. When the R-number holds firmly below 1.00, the number of infections is expected to decrease. When it approaches and exceeds 1.00, it is expected to correspond to a rise in infections.

Similarly, there was another distinct increase in the amount of coronavirus particles found in waste water during sewage surveillance. That investigation showed similar levels seen at the end of October during the brief autumn wave.

Additionally, 5.3 percent of people surveyed randomly by the RIVM last week reported having symptoms of Covid-19, up 4.3 percent compared to the previous week. However, during both periods, 1.0 percent of people tested positive.