Peak infections have passed
The peak of the second wave of covid infections has clearly been reached. The number of new infections in the Netherlands has been declining for several days. On Friday, the number of infections rose again briefly, but on a weekly basis there clearly remains a trend break. Compared to last Friday, the number of infections decreased by 18 percent to 56,356 infections per week. Last week, the number of infections rose by 16 percent.
Last week’s decrease is visible in all age categories. The number of reported infections decreases fastest in the twenties, but the figures in this group were also highest in recent weeks. For the problems in healthcare, it is especially important that infections in people over 60 years of age decrease quickly. The new measures that were introduced on Wednesday may accelerate this, but last week’s decrease is still the result of the measures of 14 October, when the catering industry, among other things, was closed.
Almost all regions are improving
The north of the Netherlands was the first to drop in the number of infections, and this trend break is steadily spreading to the southern parts of the Netherlands. Currently, there are still two of the 25 security regions where the number of infections was even higher in the past week than the week before. A small increase can be seen in North Limburg and Zeeland has 20 percent more infections than a week earlier. Only in Rotterdam-Rijnmond is the number of infections per 100 thousand inhabitants per week still above 500.
Most regions (19 out of 25) are still above 250 reports per 100 thousand inhabitants per week, above which the risk level is ‘very serious’. The number of infections per day must therefore decrease considerably to substantially reduce the pressure on the hospital. Minister Rutte suggested on Tuesday that the introduction of a curfew or closure of secondary schools may be necessary in regions where the number of infections remained too high. As there have been decreases almost everywhere this week – including in Rotterdam – the introduction of these measures has become less likely.
Hospital occupancy also down
For three days now, the number of covid patients in hospitals has been declining. About 300 new patients are still being admitted per day, but in recent days on average more patients are leaving the hospital per day than are admitted, which means that the number of occupied beds has decreased on balance. Most of these patients have recovered enough to go home, some die in hospital.
In three days, the number of occupied beds in the nursing wards decreased from 2,044 to 1,842 beds. In intensive care, the number of patients also fell, but slightly less rapidly, from 609 occupied beds on Tuesday to 603 on Friday.
Dozens of patients are still moved to a different region every day to spread the crowds. In the past week, 256 patients have been relocated. In the first corona wave there were no more than 245. Especially from the South-West Netherlands region, which includes Rotterdam, many patients are relocated. The north receives most patients from outside the region.
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