The number of coronavirus cases increased by 2.2% in the first week of October, with the rise concentrated in the over-55 population, according to latest figures by the public health agency RIVM.

Another 235 patients were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in the seven days to October 5, almost exactly the same number as in the previous week, while intensive care admissions fell from 59 to 46.

However, the reproductive number R increased from 0.90 to 0.96, partly reflecting a rise in the positive test rate from 7.5% to 8.1% as fewer tests were taken. If the R number is below 1 it means the spread of the virus is in decline.

Infections continued to decline in the under-20 population, while there were double-digit increases in the 55 to 75 age brackets.

On Tuesday another 1,932 positive tests were recorded, the highest daily figure since September 22, bringing the average figure for the last week up to just over 1,700.

The overall infection rate was 72 per 100,000 people, up from 71 a week ago. Around the 25 GGD health board regions the rate ranged from 39 in Drenthe to 102 in Gelderland-Midden.

Another 29 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded during the week, compared to 34 the week before. Not all deaths are reported immediately and the figures from the GGD are lower than the numbers compiled from death certificates by the statistics agency CBS.