The number of nursing home residents testing positive for coronavirus rose by 23% over the past week and hospital admissions are also rising, public health institute RIVM said in its Tuesday update.

The current spread of the virus is extra dangerous for people in vulnerable health and this means that the government’s ‘thermometer’ for measuring the pressure on the healthcare system and society at large should be increased from 1 to 2, the RIVM said.

‘Coronavirus can spread quickly in an open society without far reaching measures,’ the RIVM said. People over the age of 70 and those with chronic health conditions remain most at risk and should make sure they get a booster vaccination, the RIVM said.

The number of coronavirus particles in waste water shot up 75% over the past seven days and positive tests registered at regional health board centres increased 24% week on week.

In total, 601 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus and a further 92 were admitted for another health issue but were found to have Covid-19. Some 1113 people are currently being treated for Covid in hospital, according to the government’s coronavirus dashboard. This double the figure on September 30.

The RIVM also said 39 deaths were directly attributable to coronavirus, almost double the previous week’s figure.

Last week national statistics agency CBS said that almost 45,000 people have died of coronavirus in the Netherlands, double the official figure which only includes people who have tested positive for the virus.