The number of positive coronavirus tests notified to the public health institute RIVM fell again in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning. In total, local health boards reported 7,657 positive tests, down 112 on Tuesday, and marking the fifth day in a row that the total has gone down.

The number of people being treated in hospital has also fallen, dropping by 81 to 2,572. Of them, 612 people are being treated in intensive care, three more than 24 hours ago. Fewer people were both admitted to hospital and moved to IC wards in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning than earlier in the week, health officials said.

Despite the drop in positive cases, the government on Tuesday evening announced that more measures to combat coronavirus will come into effect at 10 pm on Wednesday evening. These include further reductions in group numbers and the closure of all indoor public places such as museums, libraries and swimming pools.

RIVM chief Jaap van Dissel told MPs on Wednesday morning that the current coronavirus wave is about the same size as the first, but that the peak will take longer to dissipate than the first.

The current measures mean it will take until December 20 before the number of new IC admissions is below 10 a day, and mid January before the figure shrinks again to fewer than three.

The pressure on normal IC admissions is also being felt, Ernst Kuipers, head of the national acute care association, told MPs. He said that in September and October, 1,150 fewer ordinary patients were admitted to IC units than statistics would indicate.