For the first time in this COVID-19 pandemic, over 100,000 people from Brabant have tested positive in a week. That is almost a quarter of the cases in the whole country. Hospitals are also seeing an increase in the number of patients.
The combination of carnival and the relaxation of nearly all the anti-corona measures have clearly led to thriving infection levels. This new weekly record is 3.5 times higher than the infections of the last weeks.
Rising hospital admissions
The increasing infection rates are also visible in the rising hospital admissions. Experts, however, expect such a peak to flatten off quickly. According to epidemiologist Alma Tostmann, “Carnival has such a high density of contacts that you cannot match it in normal life”.
Stay cautious
On the other hand, the former head of infectious disease control at the municipal health service GGD has warned people to stay cautious. “In addition to the carnival, many measures were released at once. We are now reaping the effects. Hopefully, not many people will become severely ill. With such high numbers, I do advise the elderly and vulnerable to be careful and to keep their distance or to wear mouth masks in supermarkets,” he says.
People over seventy are now eligible for their second booster vaccination.
Source:OmroepBrabant
Translator: Seetha
