The party in the Netherlands is over. Clubs have to close again. For restaurants the end is at midnight, as Prime Minister Mark Rutte (54) announced on Friday in The Hague. After just under two weeks, that means the temporary end of the nightlife.
Festivals and other large events without fixed seats, at which a safe distance cannot be maintained, are again prohibited. “We have to slow down the rapid spread of the virus,” warned the head of government. Rutte warned his compatriots to be careful.
7,000 new infections within 24 hours
Most recently, around 7,000 new infections were registered within 24 hours in the Netherlands – about seven times as many as in the previous week. In a discotheque in Enschede near the German border alone, 600 people were infected, mostly young people. Access was only possible with a negative test result. Apparently there were many forgeries.
So far, the increase in infections has not led to more patients in hospitals. However, the government is extremely concerned that the country will regain the status of a risk area and that vacation travel will no longer be possible.
Measures lifted at the end of June
The Netherlands had lifted almost all corona measures on June 26th. This was often criticized as being too quick and negligent.
The seven-day incidence is now around 94 – twice as high as in the previous week. The health authorities blame the very contagious delta variant of the virus for this.
Around 40 percent of the Dutch population are now fully vaccinated. Two thirds received at least one injection. (SDA / euc)