According to a report by the “NL Times” news portal, there are exactly 964 people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between December 27 and January 3, and previously within a period of 14 days after their return home were guests in Austria.
According to the report, infections attributed to Austria account for 15.8 percent of all corona cases attributed to abroad, even though the Netherlands has been declared a virus variant area by Austria with effect from December 25, which would mean mandatory quarantine. However, triple vaccinations with a valid PCR test are exempt from this rule. As the “NL Times” reports, even some Dutch tourists destined for Austria had to get vaccinated in Germany before entering the country because it was not their turn back home.
Further increase to be expected
In total, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reports 6,100 cases that are assigned to foreign travelers, but the actual total is arguably higher because the tracing of contacts is limited, the RIVM was quoted in the report. France, another popular ski and snowboard destination for the Dutch, follows in second place with 740 confirmed cases. In third place is Belgium with 682 infected people returning to the Netherlands.
According to the report, the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) noted in its latest recommendation “a sharp increase in reports of people who tested positive and who recently traveled to the Netherlands from abroad”. The experts advising the Dutch cabinet on the fight against the coronavirus assume that this number will continue to rise in the coming weeks and months.
Source: Nachrichten
