Decline in coronavirus cases slowing down, fewer patients in hospital

Another 580 coronavirus cases were reported by the public health agency RIVM on Monday, below the average for the last seven days of 624.

In the last week the decline has slowed as more cases of the Delta strain, first sequenced in India, have emerged. The number of cases has fallen by 25% in the last week, but until five days ago the week-on-week decrease was around 35%.

The Delta variant has triggered a resurgence in infections in the United Kingdom and smaller increases in countries such as Spain and Portugal.

The RIVM said last week the Delta strain was responsible for 9% of all infections, but it is expected to account for the majority by mid-July.

The number of coronavirus patients in hospital also decreased by 14 in the last 24 hours to 331, of whom 142 are in intensive care. On average 16 patients were admitted per day in the last week, including three intensive care cases.

No deaths were recorded on Monday, against an average of two per day in the last week. The virus is continuing to decline in nursing homes, with 27 institutions reporting an infection in the last 14 days.