The vast majority of the 38 million fast coronavirus tests ordered by the Dutch health ministry remain in storage and only six million have actually been used, Trouw reported on Thursday.

In the meantime, the infrastructure ministry is busy ordering its own tests for travellers returning to the Netherlands from summer holiday, the paper said.

The health ministry tests are mainly used in the ‘test for entry’ which now focuses on seated events only, after the decision to scrap festivals and other large events until September at least.

And it remains doubtful if they will all be used before reaching the end of their shelf life, the paper said.