Highest coronavirus hospital numbers for 12 weeks, cases down again

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital reached its highest level for 12 weeks, despite recorded infections continuing to decline.

A total of 2,558 people are currently being treated for the effects of coronavirus, 60 more than on Tuesday, while 776 patients are in intensive care, the highest number for 11 months.

Nearly two-thirds of available intensive care beds are currently occupied by Covid-19 patients, according to the latest figures from the public health agency RIVM.

In the 24 hours to 10am on Wednesday another 6,409 positive tests were recorded, more than on Tuesday but 16% fewer than a week earlier. The Easter Monday holiday is likely to have affected the number of tests processed at the start of the week.

Over the last seven days recorded infections have fallen by 9.4%, but the proportion of positive tests has increased slightly to 9%.

Another 23 coronavirus-related deaths were confirmed in the last 24 hours, against an average of 19 in the last seven days. A week ago an average of 24 deaths a day were being recorded.

The number of cases in nursing homes is continuing to decline, with 188 locations reporting at least one new infection in the last two weeks, compared to 203 a week ago.