Significant increase in corona cases in the Netherlands: carnival and winter sports seem to play a role Abroad

In the seven days before that, there were on average more than 35,000. The number of infections in the past 24 hours is the highest in two weeks. The government has already taken into account that the relaxation of the corona rules could lead to a new revival of the corona virus. That is why risk groups will soon receive a booster shot again.

In the past seven days, RIVM registered 252,937 new corona cases. That equates to an average of 36,137 positive tests per day. The average is rising for the second day in a row, after more than two weeks of continuous decline.

Amsterdam had 2,600 positive corona tests last day. 1,439 infections came to light in Utrecht and 1,186 in Groningen. This is followed by The Hague (1,121) and Rotterdam (975). Urk closes the row with five new cases. On Schiermonnikoog there were eleven positive tests in one day.

Carnival seems to play a role in this. Many test locations in the south of the Netherlands are fully booked. Making an appointment turns out to be more difficult for the coming days than before: “Several test employees have tested positive for corona, which means that the capacity is also lower,” says Cindy Bergenhenegouwen, spokeswoman for the Municipal Health Service (GGD) Brabant-Zuidoost. “The test demand has actually decreased in recent weeks, but today we see an increase again. Presumably, more people test positive due to the relaxation, but also because of carnival.”

Carnival this year felt like a liberation celebration for many people in the south. The party roughly coincided with the large-scale corona relaxation. Due to the (almost) loss of the corona certificate and normal opening hours, cafes were able to run at full speed again. Visitors were allowed to dance again, without having to think about the one and a half meters away. And mouth masks were almost nowhere visible anymore.

Although the chairmen of the Brabant security regions called for ‘a smaller party’ a week and a half before carnival, the streets were colored with disguised crowds as usual. There was no party in the city centers without floats or performances. In Den Bosch it was even so busy that no one was allowed to join.

“It is of course naive to think that people would stay at home after the relaxation,” says spokeswoman for the Central West Brabant Security Region Marieke Van Wijk. “We have tried to limit the infections by canceling major events and parades. But in the end people are close to each other, that is unstoppable.”

An increase in the number of test appointments made can also be noted in the north of the country. It’s been like that since Sunday. According to the spokesperson for the national GGD, this is the result of the end of the spring break, in which many Dutch people traditionally go on winter sports. “It is mainly travelers who come back,” says the GGD spokesperson about the increase in the number of tests.