The number of people admitted to hospital with coronavirus fell by 19% in the last week, the public health agency RIVM said in its latest bulletin.

The figure of 1,471 was the lowest for three weeks and included 92 people who were taken into intensive care, 9% fewer than the previous week.

The total number of infected patients reached 2,056 on Tuesday – the highest figure so far this year – but in intensive care the number dropped to 123, the lowest level since last July.

One-third of people who tested positive in hospital and a quarter of those in intensive care were admitted for a different condition.

Positive tests for coronavirus were down by 29%, with an average of 1,264 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to March 29. The proportion of positive tests was slightly down at 65.4%.

Infections fell in all age groups, but fastest in the younger generation. Cases were down by around 40% in the under-25s compared to a decline of less than 25% in the over-60s, while the highest infection rate is among people in their thirties.

Around the 25 GGD health board regions Drenthe had the highest level of infections at 1,759 per 100,000, while Midden- en West-Brabant and Brabant-Noord were both below 900.