It is still far too early to tell if the partial lockdown announced on October 13 is having an effect on the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands, prime minister Mark Rutte said at his weekly press conference after the cabinet meeting.

The number of positive tests notified to the public health institute RIVM in the 24 hours to Friday morning topped 10,000 for the first time, and this is still far too many, Rutte said.

‘There is a sharp rise in cases across Europe, and no reason to celebrate in the Netherlands,’ Rutte said. However, the partial lockdown measures,  including the closure of all cafes and bars, effectively started eight days ago and ‘we can’t see the impact of the new measures yet,’ Rutte said. ‘It is still too early.’

Rutte said that officials will reassess the situation next week, and that all scenarios are on the table. ‘We are not ruling anything out,’ Rutte said, when pressed about the possible introduction of a curfew.

Closing schools would have far too great an impact on society and is not top of the list of likely new measures, nor is the closure of nursing homes, Rutte said.