Patients with symptoms at the general practitioner

Where do the numbers come from?

Until 1 Sepember 2021, the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) reported on thursday of each week, the figures from general practitioners on patients with COVID-19-like symptoms. This data is available in the form of an open data file.

• See Nivel’s open data from general practitioners on patients with COVID-19-like symptoms
• See description of Nivel’s open data set from general practitioners on patients with COVID-19-like symptoms

How are the numbers calculated?

Once a week, a representative sample of around 350 GP practices across the Netherlands provided data concerning the symptoms of patients they have seen to NIVEL’s Primary Care Database. Using this data, NIVEL determined the number of patients who have reported COVID-19-like symptoms in the past week. NIVEL determined this on the basis of the diagnostic codes reported by GPs and any additional information provided that is suggestive of COVID-19. These diagnostic codes are:

• acute infection of the upper airways
• other infections of the airways
• influenza
• pneumonia
• other viral disease
• other infectious disease
• fever
• shortness of breath
• cough

In order to achieve greater accuracy, each week NIVEL also recalculated the data from the preceding weeks. It also included data that was only published at a later date.