Number of hospitalised coronavirus patients in the Netherlands.
AMSTERDAM--There was a sharp rise in the number of reported deaths from coronavirus in the Netherlands on Tuesday, as the death toll topped 2,000. A further 234 people have died from the virus, taking the total to 2,101, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment RIVM said in its daily update. This figure includes deaths which took place over the weekend and had not yet been included in the totals, the RIVM said, adding that figures are always higher on Tuesdays.
On Monday, the institute reported 101 deaths. Overnight hospital admissions rose by 292 to 7,427, which is also up to Monday’s figure. But the number of positive tests continues to decline.
In total, a further 777 people have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of infections to almost 20,000, but the government said agreement has been reached on using 107 intensive care beds in Germany. In total, 37 people from the Netherlands are currently being treated across the border.
Despite some pressure on ministers to state how they will start to wind down the “intelligent lockdown” after the early May school holidays, officials have said it is still far too early to present any form of exit strategy.
Hope of a relaxation in the rules is being largely pinned on an increase in the amount of testing in the Netherlands. Capacity is now being quadrupled, although tests will still focus on health-service workers.
Various projects are also underway to assess the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands. The RIVM and blood bank Sanquin are carrying out testing for antibodies, Erasmus University teaching hospital in Rotterdam has an ongoing research programme for antibodies and Leiden University is testing patients who come to the hospital for non-corona related reasons, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported. The first results from the various projects are due later this month.
