The number of coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic has passed the two million mark, according to latest figures from the RIVM.

The public health agency reported another 1,776 positive tests in the 24 hours to Wednesday, 6.5% fewer than at the same stage of last week.

The seven-day average dropped to 1,660, its lowest level since the start of July. In the last week 7.6% of all coronavirus tests were positive.

The first Covid-19 infection in the Netherlands was confirmed on February 27 last year, since when 2,001,347 cases have been reported.

The RIVM has reported 18,168 deaths from coronavirus, but the statistics agency CBS concluded on the basis of death certificates that 27,056 people died from the disease in the first 12 months of the pandemic alone.

Wednesday’s figures also showed that 456 patients are currently being treated in hospital for coronavirus, a decline of 19 in the last 24 hours, while 143 people are in intensive care, 11 fewer than on Tuesday.

In the last week the RIVM has reported an average of five Covid-related deaths a day, compared to six deaths a day a week ago.