Positive coronavirus tests have fallen to their lowest level since mid-September, according to the latest update from the public health agency RIVM.

Another 1,490 cases were confirmed on Monday, down 27% from the previous week and bringing the seven-day average to 2,206.

The percentage of positive tests was 7.4%, taking it below its most recent dip in mid-March. The last time the average number of cases and the positive test rate were so low was September 24.

The number of patients in hospital declined by five to 993, while 343 people are being treated in intensive care, one fewer than on Sunday.

On average in the last seven days 70.7 people were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and 8.4 were taken into intensive care.

The RIVM recorded another three deaths on Monday, against a weekly average of eight.

The virus is continuing to decline in care homes, with 68 locations reporting a new infection in the last two weeks compared to 96 a week ago.

To date 10,618,031 vaccine doses have been given, while an estimated 18% of the population has been vaccinated twice, according to analyses by @covid_nl.