Woman with face mask in the  train

In the past week from 7-13 July 2021, the number of reported positive tests increased more than sixfold (+508%) compared to the previous week. This increase was observed in all security regions. The reproduction number for 28 June based on positive tests more than doubled, rising from 0.97 to 2.17 (lower limit 2.07 – upper limit 2.27). 

The percentage of positive tests in the test lanes of the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) increased from 4.5% to 13.4%*. 376,735 people were tested in the GGD test lanes in the past calendar week, which is 142% more than the week before that. The number of new patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 increased by 11%, rising to 60 new admissions, including 12 ICU admissions (source: NICE Foundation). 

* This percentage of positive tests includes the tests that were taken in the context of travel. Excluding the number of tests taken in the context of travel, the percentage of positive tests is 15.9%. 

Positive tests

The number of positive tests per 100,000 inhabitants increased compared to the previous week, rising from 50 in the week before to 301 (+502%). Reported figures increased in all age groups. The largest relative increase was in the age group of 18-24 years (+907%), followed by the age group of 25-29 years (+856%), see Figure 1. In contrast to last week, an increase can also be observed this week in the other age groups; after young people, we see a larger increase among people in their thirties (+347%), forties (+229%) and fifties (+285%). 
More testing took place in all age groups last week, with the largest relative increase seen in the age group of 18-24 years (+262%), followed by the age group of 25-29 years (+191%). In the past week, the percentage of positive tests rose from 10.5% to 25.3% among people aged 18-24, and from 5.1% to 17.6% among people aged 25-29.

Figure 1. Number of reported COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, by age group. 

Where is the infection likely to have occurred, according to the people who were tested?

In about one-third (28%) of the confirmed cases reported last week, the setting where the infection probably occurred is known to the people who were tested.  Last week, the majority of infections in those tested were related to cafés, restaurants and clubs (37%), followed by the home situation (28%), visitors to the home (16%), parties (15%) and work (7%). Previously, most people became infected in their own home or during visits to their homes.

Last week, the majority of infections in those tested were related to cafés, restaurants and clubs (37%), followed by parties (17%), the home situation (15%), visitors to the home (13%), and student activities (5%), see Figure 2A.

Top 5 settings van mogelijke besmetting van 18 - 29 jarigen met een positieve testuitslag, per kalenderweek van 14 juni tot 11 juli 2021

Figure 2A: Settings of probable COVID-19 infection among people aged 18-29 years, as indicated by those who tested positive, reported by GGDs between 14 June and 11 July.

Among people aged 30-59 years, who also showed an increase in reported infections this week, the majority of infections last week were related to the home situation (54%), followed by visitors to the home (13%), work (11%), other (7%) and cafés, restaurants and clubs (3%), see Figure 2B.

Top 5 settings van mogelijke besmetting van 30 - 59 jarigen met een positieve testuitslag, per kalenderweek van 14 juni tot 11 juli 2021

Figure 2B: Settings of possible COVID-19 infection among people aged 30-59 years, reported by GGDs between 14 June and 11 July.

Positive tests among vaccinated people

Although approximately 18 million vaccinations have been given at this point, many people have not yet been vaccinated or are not yet fully vaccinated. For that reason, following the measures is still important. COVID-19 vaccination protects most people from getting seriously ill and slows the spread of the virus. However, even after you are vaccinated, there is still a chance that you could become infected, and then infect others.

59,097 positive tests have been reported between 1 July and now, and the vaccination status of 42,274 of those people (72%) is known. Of the people who tested positive and whose vaccination status is known, 35,584 people (84%) reported that they were not vaccinated at the time when they were tested (Figure 3A). 2,562 people (6%) reported to the GGD that they were fully vaccinated when they were tested, and 4,128 people (10%) reported that they were partly vaccinated when they were tested.

In the reported positive tests among people aged 20-29 years, where the highest number of reported infections was observed in July, 6% were fully vaccinated and 5% were partially vaccinated. In the reported positive tests among children and young adults aged 10-19 years, 2% were fully vaccinated and 3% were partially vaccinated.

Figure 3: The reported positive tests in July, categorised by age and whether the person reported that they were not vaccinated, partly vaccinated or fully vaccinated when they were tested. It is not yet known whether some of the people who tested positive had been vaccinated.

Footnote to figure 3:

The vaccination status is not known for all those tested. The term ‘partly vaccinated’ is used when someone has received a first vaccination of a vaccine for which two doses are needed. A person is also partly vaccinated if the last jab of the doses needed for that was administered less than two weeks ago. A person is fully vaccinated two weeks after the last dose of the vaccination schedule.