Coronavirus infections increase by 64% in a week as Omicron variants become established

The figure which shows the coronavirus particle in the waste water. Illustration: RIVM

The number of positive coronavirus tests enrolled in the National Institute for Public Health RIVM has increased by 64% over the past seven days to 15,526.

According to RIVM, the increase in official positive tests is probably associated with two new Omicron variants that have become the “land of victory” in the Netherlands.

RIVM monitors the spread of the virus through traces of wastewater, and the total is steadily increasing, the agency said. More positive home tests are also reported on the website Infectieradar.nl.

Since March, people with positive test results no longer need to be confirmed by the community health committee, but more and more people are requesting PCR tests. The Community Health Commission has conducted more than 18,000 tests from a week to Tuesday morning. This is the highest number in two months.

Formal tests are primarily aimed at healthcare professionals and those who are not vaccinated and require a negative test result for travel. Two out of every three people who have been formal tested have been proven to be virus positive.

Hospitalizations are also increasing, but only a few, RIVM said.

RIVM encouraged people with symptoms to always be tested. “There are few cases of influenza at this time, so symptoms like a cold can easily lead to a coronavirus infection,” the agency said.

This week the Ministry of Health outlined a long-term strategy for controlling the virus. It focuses on avoiding lockdowns by creating sector-specific plans for education, catering, travel, and other parts of society at high risk of infection.