This week the RIVM has reported 4036 new coronavirus cases, another huge increase on last week’s 2588 infections.

There have been nine deaths from coronavirus this week, in comparison to six last week. However, the number of hospitalisations of coronavirus patients has decreased since last week, dropping to 38 this week from last week’s 44.

Another change since last week is that the percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive has increased to 3.5%. Last week, this number was only last week’s 2.3%

RIVM director Jaap van Dissel briefed the Dutch Cabinet this morning on how the coronavirus situation in the Netherlands. He notes that most people who are getting coronavirus at the moment only have mild complaints, which makes the virus more difficult to track and trace.

Dutch town has a positive coronavirus test rate six times the national average

The city of Bergen op Zoom in North Brabant had over 14% of coronavirus tests from the past week return positive, which far exceeds the national average of 2.3%. The relatively high numbers may be due to the city’s location near the Belgian border, making it a popular tourist destination. Approximately half of the 139 infections in Bergen op Zoom are people from the Moroccan-Dutch community, so the outbreak has also been linked to Eid-ul-Adha Muslim holiday celebrations.

Amsterdam and Rotterdam make face masks in busy areas compulsory

Two municipalities, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, have made face masks compulsory in specific busy areas. The measure applies only to people aged 13 and above. During the weekends, there’ll be a team of enforcers reminding people to wear a mask and giving them one if need be. Those who do not respect the rules risk a fine of €95.

Press conference: Rutte puts Netherlands on notice, gives municipalities more power

Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge held a press conference after Dutch coronavirus infections soared in recent weeks. Rutte explained that avoiding a second lockdown means people need to take the precautions seriously, and has given more power to municipalities to handle the issue locally.

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The North Brabant city of Bergen op Zoom has had more than 14% of coronavirus tests from the past week return positive. The national average is 2.3%, according to RIVM. 

The tests in the city were conducted between August 1-9. “The figures are substantial given the national average,” Bergen op Zoom Mayor, Frank Petter, told NOS. The national average is expected to increase to around 3.5% this week.

Why is the infection rate so high?

Bergen op Zoom sits close to the Belgian border, resulting in an influx of day-trippers looking to shop. “I would like to say to the Belgians: you are more than welcome to shop or have a bite to eat, but not now,” says Petter.

The mayor will discuss a potential face mask requirement on Thursday. The town is also implementing extra checks on catering, supermarkets, and garden centres in the near future.

Outbreak at a mosque

Additionally, one test street next to El-Feth mosque recorded 53 positive infections out of 452 total tests — an infection rate of almost 12%. Approximately half of the 139 infections in Bergen op Zoom are people from the Moroccan-Dutch community.

Petter then makes a link between the Eid-ul-Adha Muslim holiday celebrations and the mosque. Najib el Allouchi, of the El-Feth mosque, told Omroep Brabant the test results were “a wake-up call.”

“Not just for us, but for the whole city. We shouldn’t think that Corona is on vacation,” he says.

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Emptying water supplies could lead to dry taps in parts of the Netherlands after the heat has put a strain on local water reservoirs.

As temperatures spiked and tourists flooded Dutch cities this past weekend, up to 50% more drinking water was consumed in the Netherlands than usual. Vitens, one of the largest Dutch suppliers of water, told RTL Nieuws that northern reservoirs are emptying too quickly and if precautions are not taken, many taps could run dry.

“If the water continues to empty too quickly, there will be no other option but to reduce the pressure in the pipes. In some places this may mean that no more water comes out of the tap,” says a Vitens spokesperson.

Which areas will be affected?

Vitens supplies water to 5.8 million households in the Flevoland, Utrecht, Overijssel, Gelderland and Friesland areas, all of which may be affected. The provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel are most at risk, as these areas are susceptible to drought and low ground water levels.

1Limburg similarly reported water shortages in the Limburg area this weekend. Waterleidingmaatschappij Limburg (WML) recorded increased water consumption and called for people in the area to use less water. Consumption has since decreased, but with tropical days still ahead, they’re urging customers to continue with caution.

Save water

Vitens is telling customers to use water sparingly. They have asked for people to stop watering their gardens, filling swimming pools and washing their cars during this time. Additional precautions include taking shorter showers and only using the washing machine at night.

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On Sunday, a devastating and unprecedented day, four people drowned off the Dutch coast. Emergency responders were able to resuscitate the swimmers but they did not survive. 

Sunday was a very busy day for the rescue brigade. In total, 120 people were rescued from the sea, including four who ultimately did not survive. “It is a really black day, really bad. A sad day, I have never experienced it that extreme,” a spokesperson for Kennemerland Safety Region told Hart van Nederland.

Four lives lost

The first of the victims, a 28-year-old man, was taken out of the water in the early afternoon on Sunday at Zuiderstrand. He was rescued and resuscitated but died on the way to the hospital.

Several hours later, another man, 24, was pulled from the water. He too was resuscitated but did not make it to the hospital.

Later in the evening, another person was reported to have died, taken out of the water at Zandvoort. He was reported by bystanders to have been between 14 and 16 years old, reports Hart van Nederland.

Around 8:30 pm, yet another person was rescued from the water at Wijk aan Zee. As with the others, emergency services worked to resuscitate the victim, but their efforts were of no avail. 

Bij #StrandZuid in #DenHaag is vanmiddag rond 13:00 uur een persoon uit het water gered en gereanimeerd. Hij is naar het ziekenhuis vervoerd, maar helaas toch overleden. We wensen de betrokkenen veel sterkte. @RBDenHaag

— Politie Den Haag eo (@POL_DenHaag) August 9, 2020

The red flag has been raised

Across the entire Dutch coast, the red flag has been raised — swimming is strongly discouraged due to dangerous currents. An NL alert message was sent, reading,  “Enter the water up to knee height, follow directions from the rescue brigade and emergency services.” 

Langs de hele #kust van #Noord-Holland is de #rode vlag gehesen en is een #NL-Alert verzonden ivm gevaarlijke stromingen. Ga maximaal tot kniehoogte het water in. Volg aanwijzingen van reddingsbrigade en hulpdiensten op!

— Veiligheidsregio NHN (@vrnhn) August 9, 2020

A rescue brigade spokesperson said that the combination of offshore wind and currents in the sea creates a “very treacherous” situation. A busy day on the beach only complicated matters. “Emergency workers can barely drive vehicles on the beach,” a spokesperson told NOS. 

The red flag is not often raised, but the past week was exceptional. A few days ago it was raised on the Zuiderstrand as well. This also follows last week’s drowning of a 37-year-old Polish man who rescued three children from the water at Juliandorp.

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Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Dutch buses and trams have used tape to section off the drivers from passengers. But soon, “cough screens” will be implemented to further protect drivers.

In the coming weeks, transparent plastic screens will be installed by the driver’s seat of buses and trams in the Netherlands. This way, drivers will be protected whilst passengers can once again enter the vehicle from the front.

Fare dodgers

OVNL (Public Transport Netherlands) told De Telegraaf that since passengers have had to enter the buses and trams from the back, more people have been able to dodge fares. “Since the corona crisis, there has been an average of about 20% fare dodgers, because the front door remains closed to protect the driver,” says chairman Pedro Peters. This is up from around 2% before coronavirus restrictions.

Further measures

In addition to the “cough screens”, a one-way flow of passengers will be required, whereby entry is only at the front and exit only at the back. At every stop, drivers will be required to ventilate the vehicle by opening all doors. “The chance of exposure to the virus is thus even smaller, in addition to the already mandatory face masks”, says the OVNL chairman.

The first Dutch buses with screens will be out in September, and all 6000 vehicles nationwide will have them in place by October.

Do you think these measures are enough? How safe do you feel using public transport in the Netherlands during coronavirus? Follow DutchReview on Facebook for more Dutch news.

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