Patient with cutaneous diphtheria in reception centre This week, a refugee from Syria was found to be infected with the diphtheria bacterium. The patient has been treated with antibiotics. The patient’s contacts have been tested and vaccinated.
Initial response to Safety Board report on COVID-19 crisis The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) has published its report ‘Approach to the COVID-19 crisis - Part 2: September 2020 to July 2021’. The report also includes a recommendation for RIVM. ANP
Upward trend in COVID-19 figures continues: extra risk for vulnerable groups The upward trend in COVID-19 figures continues to rise in the Netherlands. The increase is visible in all areas. The number of nursing home residents who tested positive for COVID-19 rose by 23% last week. Hospitals are also admitting more and more people due to COVID-19.
Upward trend in SARS-CoV-2 infections continues Infections with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 are continuing to increase in the Netherlands. More and more people with COVID-19 are turning up in the test lanes of the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), in nursing homes and in hospitals.
Stabilisation in newly reported SARS-CoV-2 infections The number of newly reported infections with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 stabilised in the past week*. The number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital stabilised, but ICU admissions continued to increase.
Omicron variant found in two previous test samples RIVM has found the Omicron variant in test samples taken in the Netherlands earlier in November. These samples were taken in the GGD test lanes on 19 and 23 November 2021.
Coronavirus variant Omicron found in 13 positive tests so far On 26 November 2021, 624 passengers returning from South Africa were tested for the coronavirus; 61 of them tested positive for COVID-19. Initial results from genome sequencing showed the Omicron variant in 13 of the samples from the positive tests.
The National Immunisation Programme: the number of disease notifications decreased substantially in 2020 In 2020, fewer people fell ill from a disease against which vaccination is included in the National Immunisation Programme than in 2019. This is most likely due to coronavirus measures, such as social distancing, handwashing, and travel restrictions.
Upward trend remains steady in all respects In the past week from 16 to 23 November 2021, hospital admissions of new COVID-19 patients rose by 19% compared to the week before. ICU admissions of new COVID-19 patients rose by 26%.
Highest number of newly reported infections in one week, with more than 110,000 positive test results 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.