A further 447 patients have been hospitalised in the Netherlands due to the coronavirus outbreak, while 134 more people have died, the public health institute RIVM said in its daily update.

Two of the 1,173 people who have died since the start of the outbreak were under the age of 50 but both had serious underlying health problems, the RIVM said. In total, 13,614 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 5,159 have been hospitalised.

The number of hospital admissions and deaths are both lower than Tuesday’s figures but, the RIVM said, it is important to note that there is a time lag between admissions and deaths, and formal reports.

‘The first effects of the government measures do seem to be visible,’ the RIVM said. ‘The number of hospital admissions and the number of deaths are not increasing as they would have done if no steps had been taken.’

Jaap van Dissel, the RIVM epidemiologist who is the public face of the agency’s work, told MPs on Wednesday that it is still crucial to follow the government’s instructions on social distancing.

Models showing the spread of the disease would appear to becoming more realistic, ‘but they are just estimations which help us to take the right steps,’ he said.

The government on Tuesday said it was extending the Dutch virtual lock down until April 28 and would reassess the situation on April 21.