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In the past week from 9 to 16 November 2021, the reported number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 rose by 44% compared to the week before. The biggest increase in the past week was in the number of newly reported infections among children aged 4-12 years. Reported figures increased in all regions. 

The number of new patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 increased by 12% in the past week. 3% more new COVID-19 patients were admitted to ICU compared to the week before. 

Prevent the spread by following the basic measures, even if you are vaccinated.
 

All the weekly COVID-19 figures are presented in a table and in graphs on the RIVM website.

Major increase in positive COVID-19 tests 

110,558 positive test results were reported last week; this is a weekly record, counting from 1 June 2020 when everyone in the Netherlands could get tested for SARS-CoV-2. Compared to one week before, the number of newly reported infections rose by 44%. Per 100,000 inhabitants, 628 people received a positive test result. More than half a million people (554,244) were tested by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), 33% more than in the week before that. The percentage of people who tested positive for COVID-19 rose in the past week from 17.2% to 19.6%, including GGD tests to confirm a positive self-test.

The number of newly reported SARS-CoV-2 infections increased in all age groups (see Figure 1). There was a notable spike last week in the age group of 0-12 years. The majority of these newly reported infections involved children aged 4-12 years, with the highest numbers of reported positive tests among children aged 10 and 11.

All security regions have shown an increase in the number of reported positive tests. The highest numbers of positive tests per 100,000 inhabitants were reported in the security regions of Limburg-Zuid (828), Zuid-Holland-Zuid (813), Limburg-Noord (755), Hollands-Midden (745) and Zeeland (742).

Figure 1: Number of reported positive tests per 100,000 inhabitants, by age group (4 October to 14 November 2021).

Vaccination status of people who tested positive for COVID-19 between 1 October and 7 November 2021.
There were 208,253 newly reported SARS-CoV-2 infections between 1 October and 7 November, and the vaccination status of 86% of those people was known.** In reports involving people aged 12 years and older whose vaccination status was known, just under half (44%) of those people were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. At this point in time, 17% of the Dutch population aged 12 years and over are not vaccinated against COVID-19, or has not yet been fully vaccinated.

Despite full vaccination, people can still become infected with SARS-CoV-2. Out of every 100,000 people between the ages of 12 and 49 years who are not vaccinated, or are not fully vaccinated, an average of 58 people per day tested positive between 1 October and 7 November 2021 (Figure 2). For fully vaccinated people aged 12-49 years, 19 per 100,000 fully vaccinated people tested positive during the same period. 

Similarly, in the older age groups, the number of positive tests per 100,000 inhabitants was lower among fully vaccinated people than among people who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. However, the differences in reported SARS-CoV-2 infections among vaccinated and unvaccinated people are less significant in the older age groups (Figure 2).
 

Figure 2: Average number of people who tested positive per day from 1 October to 7 November 2021, per 100,000 people in the population with the same vaccination status, per age category. Vaccination coverage per age group is updated weekly on the RIVM website.

Hospital admissions in the past week

The number of people with COVID-19 who were admitted to hospital last week increased compared to the week before, rising from 1,240 to 1,390 people. 217 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to ICU last week, 6 more new patients than in the week before (+3%).

There are regional differences in hospital admissions. Looking at hospital admissions in relation to the number of people living in the region, the highest numbers of people with COVID-19 admitted to hospital in the last calendar week were observed in the regions of Noord- en Oost-Gelderland, Limburg-Zuid, Zuid-Holland-Zuid, Limburg-Noord and Gelderland-Zuid.

Vaccination status of people with COVID-19 admitted to hospital

The chance that a fully vaccinated person with COVID-19 will be admitted to hospital is much lower than for a non-vaccinated person. On 18 November, RIVM will publish an update on the vaccination status of people admitted to hospital with COVID-19. At that time, the latest results from the study on how well the vaccines protect against serious illness (vaccine effectiveness) will also be released.

Reproduction number R

The most recent reproduction number based on positive COVID-19 tests is for 1 November, and remained about the same as the week before, staying steady at 1.21 (lower limit 1.19 – upper limit 1.23). That means that 100 people who have COVID-19 will collectively infect another 121 new people.

* Positive tests reported to RIVM between 9 November 2021 at 10:01 and 16 November 2021 at 10:00. The number of tests in GGD test lanes, hospital admissions and ICU admissions are shown by calendar week.

** The vaccination status of a significant percentage of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 between 8 and 14 November 2021 is unknown or not yet known.