Since August, the RIVM and the water boards have been measuring how many virus particles there are in the sewage water. Sewage water shows at an early stage how the virus is doing. The number of locations where this is done has expanded from 80 to 318 in recent weeks, covering almost the whole of the Netherlands. Every week measurements are now also taken at almost all these locations. So is on the corona dashboard to see better and earlier how the virus develops.
The updated dashboard presents also the most important figures clearer, both nationally and locally. This new design is the result of public research and reactions from experts, says Minister Hugo de Jonge (VWS): “This makes it clear at a glance how we are doing, both nationally and locally. That insight is crucial. We see the numbers rising and we have to keep a close eye on the virus to be able to take targeted measures. ” In the coming period, the dashboard will be further improved and new sources will be added.
Corona dashboard shows developments
With the corona dashboard, VWS brings together a number of important figures about the development of corona in the Netherlands, such as the number of ICU admissions, positive test results and an estimate of the number of infectious people. The aim is for citizens, policymakers and scientists to see at a glance what the state of affairs is regarding the spread of the corona virus. The combination of up-to-date data on the dashboard makes it possible to detect and combat the virus more quickly and accurately.
The corona dashboard became officially operational in early July and has been gradually expanded since then. In June there was already a limited trial version put online. Thus, in July three new information points added: estimates about infectious persons, the first sewage water measurements and signals from general practitioners about possible infections.
See outbreaks of contamination on a regional level
Half augustus the sewage data have already been expanded to 80 measurement locations. Thanks to this expansion, data relevant to the coronavirus is now available from 10 million people. This concerns data from sewage water research by the RIVM with which possible sources of contamination of the virus at regional level can be detected. In April, RIVM started a weekly investigation into the presence of the corona virus in sewage water. To this end, sewage water is tested that is collected every week over a period of 24 hours.
The dashboard supports the government’s strategy of maximum control of the coronavirus with two central goals:
- Protecting people with vulnerable health as well as possible.
- Ensure that healthcare is not overburdened.
