More than 8,000 new coronavirus infections were reported for the fifth day in a row by the public health agency RIVM on Monday, raising the weekly average to its highest level in almost six weeks.

The number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 increased by 105 to 1,872 while six more patients are in intensive care than on Sunday, bringing the number to 503.

The latest daily figure for infections was 8,496, more than 1,400 lower than Monday but 20% higher than last Monday and means that on average 8,242 cases have been reported in the last week.

The virus is also on the increase in nursing homes, with 602 facilities reporting at least one positive test in the last 14 days, compared to 561 a week ago. Another 35 people are reported to have died of coronavirus since Monday, taking the total to 10,082.

Alma Tostmann, epidemiologist at the Radboudumc teaching hospital in Nijmegen, said the decision to step up lockdown measures for five weeks from Tuesday was the right one.

‘I think closing schools is sensible at this stage,’ she said. ‘It will take around 10 days to two weeks before we see if these measures are having any effect.’