News | RIVM

New crisis response organisation at RIVM to control future pandemics

The cabinet has agreed to the proposal of Ernst Kuipers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, to set up a National Functionality for Infectious Disease Control (LFI).

Flu vaccination also available for pregnant women as of this autumn

Every year, people aged 60+ and people with certain medical conditions can get the free flu vaccination. On the recommendation of the Health Council of the Netherlands, the free flu vaccination will now also be made available to pregnant women.

Booster vaccination invitations for care workers

Hospitals are already working hard to vaccinate their own care workers.

Stabilisation in newly reported SARS-CoV-2 infections

The number of newly reported infections with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 stabilised in the past week*. The number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital stabilised, but ICU admissions continued to increase.

Omicron variant found in two previous test samples

RIVM has found the Omicron variant in test samples taken in the Netherlands earlier in November. These samples were taken in the GGD test lanes on 19 and 23 November 2021.

Coronavirus variant Omicron found in 13 positive tests so far

On 26 November 2021, 624 passengers returning from South Africa were tested for the coronavirus; 61 of them tested positive for COVID-19. Initial results from genome sequencing showed the Omicron variant in 13 of the samples from the positive tests.

Zoonoses Report 2020 focuses on emerging zoonoses

The COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the West Nile Virus in 2020 show that so-called emerging zoonoses pose a risk to the Netherlands.

ANP

People born in 1939 or before invited for COVID-19 booster vaccination

As of today, people born in 1939 or before can schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 booster vaccination with the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs).

The National Immunisation Programme: the number of disease notifications decreased substantially in 2020

In 2020, fewer people fell ill from a disease against which vaccination is included in the National Immunisation Programme than in 2019. This is most likely due to coronavirus measures, such as social distancing, handwashing, and travel restrictions.

Upward trend remains steady in all respects

In the past week from 16 to 23 November 2021, hospital admissions of new COVID-19 patients rose by 19% compared to the week before. ICU admissions of new COVID-19 patients rose by 26%.