Dutch Covid infections jump 68% in a week, hospitalizations up 10%

 

The average number of coronavirus infections diagnosed daily in the Netherlands has increased each of the past seven days, reaching 58,544 on Monday, according to raw data from the RIVM. That was 68 percent higher compared to last Monday, bringing the average to its highest point in 18 days.

Approximately 69.8 percent of those tested by the GGD between February 27 and March 5 received a positive diagnosis, setting a new record for any seven day period. That figure grew from 62.1 percent recorded the previous week. About 78,400 were tested daily on average for the period covering the start of March, a weekly increase of 44 percent.

The Dutch Cabinet eliminated nearly all coronavirus restrictions on February 25, just in time for Carnival celebrations. Unsurprisingly, the regions with the most infections are those where Carnival parties were more likely to take place. About a fourth of all infections recorded this past week were diagnosed in residents of a Noord-Brabant municipality, 14 percent occurred in Gelderland, and 10 percent in Limburg, with figures in the latter rising. ( NL Times)