(dpa/GNA) – The Netherlands is putting a damper on nightlife and music festivals in a bid to combat a rising number of coronavirus cases, which is being fuelled by the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Starting on Saturday, nightclubs have to close once again and bars and restaurants must shut their doors by midnight, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday.
The clubs had only been allowed to reopen two weeks ago.
Festivals and other large events where no safe distance can be kept and without fixed seating are also now banned, Rutte said.
“We must slow down the rapid spread of the virus,” the prime minister said, appealing to citizens to act with caution.
At last count, some 7,000 new infections had been registered within 24 hours, about seven times more than in the previous week, the premier said.
So far, the increase in infections has not led to more patients in hospitals. However, the government is extremely concerned that the Netherlands will once again be labelled a coronavirus risk area by other countries, which would then restrict holiday travel.
The Netherlands had lifted almost all coronavirus measures as of June 26, a move widely criticized as too fast and imprudent.
Health authorities blame the higher caseloads on the Delta variant of the virus.
Young people in particular are now becoming infected, and frequently in clubs, according to health officials.
In one nightclub in Enschede, 600 people had recently been infected. Access had only been possible with a negative test result, but several patrons were said to have entered with forged documents.
About 40 percent of citizens are fully vaccinated, and two-thirds have received at least one dose.
GNA