THE HAGUE, June 14 (Xinhua) -- New COVID-19 infections rose by 64 percent in the Netherlands over the past week, official data show on Tuesday.

       In the past seven days, the country reported 15,526 new infections, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said.

       The significant rise of positive tests was probably due to the spread of Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, which are "gaining more and more ground in the Netherlands," said the RIVM.

       While an increase of new cases was reported in all age groups, infections rose fastest in the Amsterdam-Amstelland, Utrecht and Hollands-Midden regions.

       The number of virus particles in sewage water has also been increasing throughout the Netherlands for two weeks, it noted.

       Despite the sharp rise of new infections, the number of new hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19 has increased only by 12 percent, it said.

       It warns, however, that the virus can still have serious consequences for vulnerable groups.

       The RIVM urges people to "always do a self-test in case of complaints" as flu is rare at the moment and cold complaints can indicate a COVID-19 infection.