Dutch hospitals have admitted a further 722 coronavirus patients in the past 24 hours, the national health institute RIVM said in its Tuesday update. This is well above the 507 new patients reported on Monday and takes the total hospital admissions up to 4,712.

Of them, 1,070 are being treated in intensive care.

The death toll rose by 175 to 1,039 but not all the deaths occurred in the past 24 hours the RIVM said. The death toll only includes people who have been tested for coronavirus and who have later died.

The number of positive tests rose by 845 to 12,595. Testing in the Netherlands is largely restricted to people with major symptoms and hospital staff, although moves are underway to expand the testing base.

The province of Noord-Brabant, where the Dutch outbreak first took hold, would now appear to be over the peak when it comes to hospital admissions,’ the RIVM said.

However, the number of admissions in Zuid-Holland, Noord-Holland, Gelderland and Limburg continue to increase.

The number of hospital admissions has a key role in deciding if government measures to contain the spread of the virus are having an impact.

The government will announce on Tuesday evening that the current social distancing and other measures will continue for the time being.