The number of coronavirus patients in hospital has fallen below 1,200 for the first time since October 10, according to the latest daily update by the public health agency RIVM.

On Wednesday morning there were 1,189 patients being treated for Covid-19, including 420 in intensive care. The figures on Tuesday were 1,240 and 447 respectively, while the overall number has gone down by 27% in the past week.

The RIVM reported another 2,602 positive tests, bringing the average for the past seven days down to 2,910 – 13% lower than a week ago. In the last week 8.7% of all tests have been positive.

On average 10 new deaths have been recorded each day in the last week, while the number of nursing homes reporting a new coronavirus infection has fallen from 107 to 87.

The RIVM’s director of Infectious Disease Control, Jaap van Dissel, told a parliamentary briefing on Wednesday that there were no indications yet of a significant influx of the B.1617.2 strain, also known as the Indian variant, in the Netherlands.

The strain is thought to be up to 70% more infectious than the B.1.1.7 strain first detected in the UK, which was responsible for the rise in infections in March and April. The new variant has sparked a resurgence in parts of England and Scotland in recent weeks.

Van Dissel said vaccines were less effective against the new strain, but the risk was much smaller for people who have received a second dose, underlining the need to keep up the pace of vaccination.