Research conducted by the GGD has found that King’s Day celebrations in the Dutch capital led to at least 483 coronavirus infections in Amsterdam alone, most of which occurred after friends and family met indoors.
These cases were spread across 17 clusters, and three out of four infections occurred among people between the ages of 19 and 30. 60 percent of the people infected on King’s Day said they’d been in the city centre or in a park on April 17. The figures show that 81 percent of the clusters could be traced back to house parties or indoor gatherings.
Earlier this month, the GGD reported that there had been at least 466 cases of coronavirus in Amsterdam following King’s Day, and now the public health department says the number is likely higher than the 483 they have been able to confirm.
While restrictions weren’t lifted until April 28, that didn’t stop celebrations from quickly getting out of hand on April 27. Parks in cities across the Netherlands were cleared out and closed down as parties broke out and large groups gathered. 50 people were arrested in Amsterdam.
Interestingly, GGDs from other large Dutch cities haven't reported a noticeable spike in infections after King's Day. GGD Amsterdam has also looked into infections caused at Ajax’s championship party on May 2, where Dutch police say around 12.000 supporters were in attendance. According to their report, at least 16 cases can be traced back to the event.