More than 110,000 people tested positive for coronavirus in the last seven days, equivalent to nearly six out of every 1,000 people living in the Netherlands.

The latest weekly bulletin from the public health agency RIVM also showed 19.6% of all tests taken in the last week gave a positive result, up from 17.2% a week ago.

The virus is spreading fastest among school-age children, with 85% more infections in the five-to-nine age group and 76% more among 10 to 14-year-olds.

By contrast, positive tests in nearly all over-55s groups have grown by between 20% and 30% from last week.

On Tuesday more than 20,000 cases were confirmed in a 24-hour period for the first time, with 20,252 people testing positive.

Nearly 70% of infections where the source was identified were traced to the home, including family members and visitors, with schools and nurseries accounting for another 15%. However, only 22.4% of cases recorded last week had a known setting.

Around 60% of people who tested positive in the first two weeks of November were unvaccinated, the RIVM said, although in 45% of cases the vaccination status was unknown. People under 50 who had not been vaccinated were three times more likely to test positive.

Hospital admissions increased by 12% to 1,390, while 217 patients were admitted to intensive care, six more than last week. On Tuesday there were 2,071 coronavirus patients in hospital altogether, an increase of 26% since last week.

The RIVM also confirmed 173 deaths from Covid-19, 11 more than a week ago.

Around the 25 local health service (GGD) regions the number of positive tests per 100,000 people ranged from 390 in Groningen to 828 in Zuid-Limburg. The national rate was 628, up from 438 a week ago.