The number of positive coronavirus test results reported to public health institute RIVM hit 845 on Thursday, the highest figure in two weeks and 200 more than Wednesday.

An average of 616 positive tests have been reported over the past seven days.

A spokesman for the RIVM said he could not explain the sharp rise in cases. ‘We look at the week by week figures’, he told the AD. The number of positive tests is generally higher on a Wednesday and Thursday because of the weekend time lag.

In total, almost 1.7 million people have tested positive for coronavirus since the epidemic began.

Clusters

In Twente at least nine out of 18 friends who went to the Aspen Valley disco in Enschede last Saturday have since tested positive for the virus, the AD reported.

The local health board has confirmed the situation, saying it is ‘one big chaos at the test centre’, the AD said.

‘We do not yet know exactly how many infections there are, but we call on everyone who has been there to be tested,’ local health board spokesman Reinier van Broekhoven told broadcaster RTV Oost.

‘The source and contact trace is now in full swing. We are also investigating how this could have happened. It is still too early to say anything about it.’

The coronavirus hospital patient total does continue to decline, with just 10 patients admitted overnight. In total, 278 coronavirus patients are currently being treated in hospital, the lowest figure since mid September.