Coronavirus cases decline by 12%, more infections in over-60s

Coronavirus cases declined by nearly 12% in the third week of September, while the number of people admitted to hospital was down by 30%, according to the latest weekly bulletin by the RIVM.

A total of 11,760 positive tests were recorded in the week to September 28, equivalent to 71 per 100,000 people. The proportion of tests that were positive was 7.5%, down from 8.0% last week.

The reproductive number R, which indicates if the virus is spreading faster or is in decline, was measured at 0.9 on September 13, slightly lower than the previous week’s figure.

Another 213 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms, the lowest number since the start of July and 30.4% down from last week’s figure of 306.

Intensive care admissions fell from 68 to 56, while the number of deaths recorded was down from 45 to 34. Some deaths are reported by local health boards several weeks after they occur.

There was a stark contrast in the pattern of infection between age groups. Among school-age children recorded infections fell by more than 20%, but cases increased in nearly every age group over 60, including a 30% rise among people in their late eighties.

Around the 25 local health board (GGD) regions the infection rate ranged from 35 per 100,000 people in Noord-Holland-Noord to 103 in Rotterdam-Rijnmond.

The number of coronavirus patients in hospital declined by nine in the last 24 hours to 475, of whom 154 are in intensive care, 10 fewer than on Monday.