Public health institute RIVM registered almost 37,000 positive coronavirus tests in the week to Tuesday morning, some 700 less than in the previous seven-day period.

The total includes 3,979 newly confirmed cases in the 24 hours to Tuesday 10am, which is down 1,228 on Monday’s new total.

Although the percentage of positive tests fell from 13.8% to 12% as more people were tested, the figures are now stagnating, the RIVM said.

The weekly decline is the fourth in a row but officials have warned that there are still too many positive cases to allow the regulations to be relaxed for the Christmas holidays.

Over the past week, 1,291 people were admitted to hospital, down some 200 on the previous week and fewer people were admitted to intensive care wards. The death rate has also gone down. In total, 422 people died of coronavirus last week, compared with 479 in the previous seven day period.

The OMT is thought to be looking at extending the school Christmas holidays to stop the spread of the virus among pupils. The new RIVM figures show a rise in the number of infections among 13 to 17-year-olds, and a drop across all other age groups.

Prime minister Mark Rutte said earlier this month he will give an update on the festive season options by December 8, but warned last weekend that the infection rate still has to come down considerably.