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Pressure on hospitals But there was relief among hospital staff, who were dismayed to learn last week that the government wanted to ease restrictions while nearly three-quarters of intensive care beds are occupied by coronavirus patients. Sunday, another 8,288 infections were announced, the highest daily number for two weeks, while more than 2,500 people are being treated in hospital for the virus, 788 of them in intensive care. Ad Melkert, chairman of the board of the Netherlands Association of Hospitals NVZ, said, "This is difficult for people who had hoped or counted on the restrictions being eased. But they are still badly needed, because it is all hands on deck in our hospitals. First we need to get the virus under control, get more people vaccinated and reduce the pressure on hospitals. Then we can slowly but surely get back to business as usual, but I think that will take a few more weeks.