Coronavirus cases stay below 4,000, patient numbers keep falling

Another 3,914 coronavirus cases were reported by the public health agency RIVM, the seventh day in a row that the figure has been below 4,000.

The average figure for the last seven days was 3,131, a decline of 26.5% from a week ago. Friday’s number included some cases that were missing from Thursday’s figures because they were reported late by the local health board (GGD) network.

The number of patients in hospital fell by 72 in the last 24 hours to 1,440, of whom 521 are being treated in intensive care, 20 fewer than on Thursday.

Another 15 deaths were recorded, leaving the seven-day average figure unchanged since last week on 13.

An estimated 8.97 million vaccine doses have been given, while the vaccination rate has risen to 1 million doses a week. However, the RIVM looks set to miss its target of 10.5 million by the end of May, making it unlikely that health minister Hugo de Jonge’s pledge of offering everyone a first dose by the start of July will be met.

People born in 1974 and 1975 have been able to register online for vaccinations since 11am on Friday at coronatest.nl (click on EN in the top right corner for English translation).