Speaking on Thursday, Ernst Kuipers, director of the National Acute Care Network (LNAZ), said, in regards to the coronavirus, the situation in the Netherlands is now the same, if not worse, than in March.

Highest recorded coronavirus deaths since May

On Thursday it was announced that the number of new coronavirus cases had grown by 2.552 in only 24 hours. There were 25 new hospitalisations recorded, and 16 coronavirus-related deaths - the highest number since May 30. 

Data released by the National Coordination Centre for Patient Distribution (LCPS) on Thursday also showed that the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care units across the Netherlands had risen from 104 to 106 between September 23 and 24. There are currently 501 coronavirus patients in Dutch hospitals. 

Coronavirus situation in the Netherlands becoming more serious

Speaking on Dutch TV show Jinek, Kuipers outlined how severe the current national coronavirus situation was: “At the moment we see that the number of hospital admissions is doubling every week... I said this week: if we see no change at the end of the week, we have to take more measures.”

He said the current rise in cases and hospital admissions resembled the rapid spread of the virus in March, and expressed concerns about the coronavirus measures currently in place in parts of the country. He feels they have had little impact, and that stricter measures need to be implemented.

Since Wednesday, September 23, the LCPS has resumed the distribution of coronavirus patients among hospitals across the country to ensure that the work for medical staff is distributed more evenly across the Netherlands. 

Hospitals prepare for second wave

Intensive care doctors are preparing themselves for the second coronavirus wave. Talking to RTLnieuws, Marco Knook, a doctor at the Reinier de Graaf hospital in Delft, said the pressure on healthcare was increasing again. 

Speaking of the second wave, Knook said: “We have prepared well and know what is to come. We have an upscaling plan and we can spread patients nationwide….But we would have preferred if it was not necessary.”

He had not expected the second wave to come so quickly, saying the hospital was still recovering from the first wave and that many members of staff were on holiday after working extremely long and intense hours in March and April.