page_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands
section_title: April 2020
hierarchical_section_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands / Timeline / April 2020
caption_attribution_description: English: Exercise machines of a gym in Delft (Fitness &amp; Health Club Delft) have been taken outdoors so that can be used during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency measures, when the gym itself has been closed
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands is part of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have spread to the Netherlands on 27 February 2020, when its first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Tilburg. It involved a 56-year-old Dutchman who had arrived in the Netherlands from Italy, where the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to enter Europe. As of the 7th of August, there are 56,982 confirmed cases of infections and 6,153 confirmed deaths. The first death occurred on 6 March, when an 86-year-old patient died in Rotterdam.
  Partly on the advice of Jaap van Dissel, measures were taken by the Rutte III cabinet for the public health to prevent the spread of this viral disease, including the "intelligent lockdown".
context_section_description: 7 April: Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced in a press conference that the measures could possibly be loosened a bit after 28 April, however getting back to 'normal' will take considerable time. Furthermore, the Dutch Government are researching possibilities to use an app to register corona infections and use this app to warn others who were in proximity of an infected person. However, concerns were raised whether this app would harm privacy.
  8 April: This day marked the first day since the outbreak in the Netherlands that the number of corona patients in intensive care units declined. It was a sign to many that the curve was 'flattened' in the Netherlands.
  15 April: Prime Minister Mark Rutte held a press conference. The numbers of infections, deaths and hospitalisations were declining. He announced that loosening the measures could only be done in small steps, and with several restrictions in mind: keeping 1.5 meter distance, sufficient health care capacity and adequate protection of older and/or weaker people.
  20 April: A total number of 32,655 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 3,684 people died due to the coronavirus. Admittance to hospitals and ICUs was steadily declining, leading to conclusions that the lock-down measures had the desired effect.
  22 April: All measures were extended until 20 May. An exception was made for elementary schools: these will open on 11 May. Mark Rutte also announced that secondary education would gradually open after 2 June. Furthermore, events that require a permit are forbidden until 1 September. Among others this means that football matches are also not allowed, resulting in the end of the 2019–20 Eredivisie season.
  23 April: Research of the RIVM indicated that the first infection in the Netherlands was possibly on 15 February, almost two weeks before the first confirmed infection. Among others this research was based on patients who had similar symptoms but were not tested for COVID-19.
  26 April: COVID-19 has been confirmed in mink at two fur farms in the Netherlands, the agriculture ministry confirmed.
  28 April: After the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office was renamed “Netherlands Office Taipei" to reflect the increased scope of cooperation between the two countries, the Chinese ambassador made "solemn representations" and reminded the Dutch government to dutifully adhere to the "one-China principle." The Global Times warned of a backlash. It then claimed rising sentiment that China should immediately stop exporting medical supplies and that Chinese citizens were demanding a boycott of Dutch products and cancelling their travel plans to the Netherlands.
caption: Exercise machines have been taken outside of a gym in Delft and placed on safe distance apart so that people could exercise while the gym itself is closed
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