The decline in coronavirus cases is continuing to slow down, with the seven-day average figure falling by 4.5% in the last three days.

The public health agency RIVM reported another 657 infections on Tuesday, almost exactly the same number as a week ago. 3.1% of all tests were positive.

In the last seven days the figure has declined by an average of 21% per week to 597, but the average number has levelled off since the weekend. In the week to Sunday an average of 625 cases per day were registered with the RIVM.

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital fell by 13 to 296, of whom 128 are being treated in intensive care. The last time there were fewer than 300 patients was September 19.

An average of 13 patients a day have been admitted to hospital in the last week, including two intensive care admissions. No Covid-19 patients were admitted to the ICU on Wednesday for the second day in a row.

No further deaths were reported. For the last two weeks the RIVM has confirmed an average of two deaths related to coronavirus per day, though the actual figure is estimated to be around 40% higher.

So far 15.5 million vaccine doses have been given. 58% of the population has now received at least one dose and 34.5% have been fully vaccinated, according to estimates by CovidAnalyticsNL.