Weekly update on the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: 7 May 2025
Minimal coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the Netherlands
Since the end of 2024, the amount of SARS-CoV-2 detected has been low across all sources. In the first half of week 18 (28 April - 4 May 2025), the national average viral load detected in wastewater surveillance decreased slightly (-7%) compared to the week before that. No samples from the second half of week 18 have yet been analyzed. However, levels of virus particles in wastewater are still low.
The percentage of Infection Radar survey participants who tested positive for COVID-19 remained stable compared to last week, and is still at a low level. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any of the 12 samples taken last week from some of the patients who saw their GP for respiratory symptoms. The number of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests reported by Dutch laboratories in the weekly virological status reports for the Netherlands also remained low.
Besides SARS-CoV-2, other viruses can also cause respiratory infections. See the latest situation update on respiratory viruses in the Netherlands (in Dutch). The latest situation update on SARS-CoV-2 variants is available here.
Long-term symptoms
How long it takes for someone to recover from COVID-19 can differ from one person to another. Some people have long-term symptoms that persist after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is called post-COVID or Long COVID. Since 28 June 2024, a new research portal has been launched for people with post-COVID.
*The daily number of unique survey participants reporting a positive COVID-19 test, summed up for the entire calendar week (Monday through Sunday). The positive test result could come from a self-test, PCR test or rapid antigen test. The percentage of participants who get a COVID-19 test when they have symptoms may fluctuate over time. These results are not from the nose and throat swabs sent in through the self-test study that started in September 2022.
Data of 2019/2020 season is available from week 14 of 2020. Week 53 of 2020 is not included in this figure.
Based on data available at RIVM on Wednesdays, as published in the open data and presented on the Coronavirus Dashboard. See the webpage about Sewage water surveillance for the most recent data. See the explanation of the data presented for more details about how these figures are calculated.
The daily number of unique survey participants reporting a positive COVID-19 test, summed up for the entire calendar week (Monday through Sunday). The positive test result could come from a self-test, PCR test or rapid antigen test. These results are not from the nose and throat swabs sent in through the self-test study that started in September 2022. Source: Infectieradar RIVM.
This graph uses data from laboratories that have reported data for at least 50 out of 52 weeks in the 2023/2024 season and for every week from week 40 2024 up to and including the most recent week. Therefore, the laboratories of which the data are shown in the graph may change each week. In addition, the number of detections of SARS-CoV-2 in a week may change each week.
Source: virological diagnostics reports Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV).
Note: This data is owned by laboratories participating in the virological laboratory surveillance (Virologische Weekstaten), represented by the board of the NWKV. The database is managed by the RIVM. Further use of the data is not allowed without permission. Permission for use of these data may be requested by contacting virweekstaten@rivm.nl.
Some of the laboratories report the number of samples tested in addition to the number of detections. The percentage of positive samples in the graph above is based on the reports in which the numbers of samples were reported as well. Not all laboratories that report the number of samples tested have reported data for the most recent week. Therefore, the percentage of positive samples in the most recent week may still change.
Source: virological diagnostics reports Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV).
Note: This data is owned by laboratories participating in the virological laboratory surveillance (Virologische Weekstaten), represented by the board of the NWKV. The database is managed by the RIVM. Further use of the data is not allowed without permission. Permission for use of these data may be requested by contacting virweekstaten@rivm.nl.
Posting schedule for COVID-19 updates
| Updates | When |
|---|---|
| Weekly update on the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 | Weekly on Wednesday afternoon |
| Even weeks on Wednesday afternoon | |
| Figures on vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospital admissions | The date of the next update has not yet been determined |
| Mortality figures | Weekly on Wednesday afternoon |
| Figures on pathogen surveillance of virus variants | Even weeks on Wednesday afternoon |
| Figures on coronavirus monitoring in wastewater research | Weekly on Wednesday afternoon |
| RIVM provides access to the underlying data sets for various topics related to COVID-19. This includes data on reported cases of COVID-19, pathogen surveillance results, and sewage surveillance results. The data is publicly available to download. | |