The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care units across the Netherlands has decreased for the first time. Today, sixteen less patients are in IC units compared to yesterday.
A total of 1408 patients are currently in intensive care, NOS reports. And for the first time, it appears that more people have left these units than have joined.
Social distancing are helping reduce the spread of COVID-19
A fear is that IC units will fill up too quickly (as they have in Italy), overwhelming medical facilities and staff. Consequently, the RIVM has advertised the importance of social distancing to flatten the curve to prevent this from happening:
Bij een te snelle stijging van het aantal ernstig zieke mensen, raakt ons zorgsysteem overbelast. We hebben dan niet genoeg IC-bedden. Door 'social distancing' worden minder mensen tegelijk ziek en is er voldoende zorgcapaciteit. Dit noemen we 'flatten the curve'. 🏥 #AlleenSamen pic.twitter.com/euDudBRdgS
— RIVM (@rivm) April 6, 2020
Hopefully the increase in coronavirus patients will not grow exponentially and this levelling off will continue.
Downward trend in ICU patients
According to the RIVM’s figures, the increase of ICU patients from the day before on Thursday was 82, the next day it was 51 more than the day before, on Saturday it was 26, Sunday 25 and on Monday the number was 24. Between yesterday and today, the change is 16 (with 292 hospital admissions reported yesterday and 308 reported today). A
This is indeed, good news. But precaution should still be taken, as the virus is still spreading, casualties are still mounting daily. We need this the trend to continue, and we need to hang in there for our healthcare heroes that are working time in and time out to help those in need. So on our part, the least we can do is adhere to the social distancing measures in place.
Follow DutchReview on Facebook for all news about the coronavirus in the Netherlands.
Feature Image: DutchReview/Canva
