Recorded coronavirus infections declined by 11% in the second week of September, with hospital admissions at their lowest level for eight weeks, according to the RIVM’s latest figures.

The overall infection rate fell to 94 per 100,000 people in the Netherlands, despite a 9.5% increase in the number of tests taken. The latest calculation of the R number is 0.99 on August 30, indicating the virus is declining marginally.

The proportion of positive tests was 9%, down from 14.6% in mid-August but still nearly double the World Health Organisation’s target of 5%.

Another 355 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus, down 15% from the previous week, while intensive care admissions were down by 20% at 75. Currently there are 635 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of whom 203 are in intensive care.

Figures for the various age groups show infections are still rising among primary schoolchildren, with 9.6% more cases in the 5 to 9 age group and a marginal increase in 10 to 14-year-olds. In the 15 to 25-year bracket the number of cases declined by around 23%.

Around the 25 GGD health board regions the number of infections ranged from 60 per 100,000 people in Noord-Holland-Noord to 143 in Rotterdam-Rijnmond.

Another 35 deaths from Covid-19 were reported to the RIVM, three fewer than in the previous week.