Where was the peak of the number of infections in Drenthe in 2021? A look back.
There were press conferences with a sombre tone. The people sighed at yet another package of measures. Face masks, demonstrations elsewhere in the country, lawsuits against the State, fuss about slow stinging, the curfew that changed our social lives. And what about all those families who lost a loved one to the disease, entrepreneurs in need, and people who still suffer from the long-term consequences after corona.
Highest peak in January
The misery in 2021 actually had its origin on December 15 last year, at the start of the hard lockdown. Just about everything that could be labeled as non-essential was shut down. This was also the period when the number of corona infections in Drenthe crept to a peak. In the first week of the year (from 4 January), our province counted 1454 infections in one week. That number was not surpassed in the weeks that followed. The highest number of infections in one day in 2021 was on January 3: 269 times positive in a day.
(text continues below the chart)
curfew
Although the situation improved to below 800 Drenthe infections per week in the remainder of January and vaccinations were started, the situation remained worrisome. In fact, the cabinet took the rigorous decision to start de curfew to enter. That meant you weren’t allowed to be outside after 10pm to 4.30am unless you had a good reason and could prove it.
The lockdown was extended until the beginning of March, then the first relaxations followed, such as the hairdressers who were allowed to open. Shopkeepers were also allowed to receive a few customers by appointment and secondary schools were opened. At the same time, the number of infections in Drenthe rose again to a peak in week 12 (22 to 28 March). Our province then counted 1,408 infections, the only week that comes close to the first week of January.
(text continues below the photo)
Press care
Logically, hospitals felt the blow in the month that followed. The pressure on the intensive care units in Drenthe turned out to be unbearably high, especially in April. The Wilhelmina Hospital Assen and hospital location Scheper in Emmen of Treant Zorggroep let us know that they could no longer handle the pressure on care. Both hospitals were forced to reduce the number of beds in intensive care because they were struggling with staff shortages.
Good news came from RIVM. Figures that this institute publishes daily showed that the number of infections decreased every week in Drenthe. In April this went in small steps (week 18, early May, turned out to be an exception), in May and June it went a lot better every week. Another reason to breathe a sigh of relief: the cabinet announced ‘end of lockdown’ from June 5.
Last week Drenthe counted 226 positive cases. There’s a good chance it won’t even top 100 this week. And today no more than 10.
On to zero.
Also read:
– .
