A group of hospitals in the southern Dutch province of Limburg has called for the government to take new measures to stem rising Covid-19 cases, saying they have no space or staff to handle more coronavirus patients.

Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands, as in other parts of Europe, are approaching all-time highs despite adult vaccination levels around 85 per cent, according to Reuters.

Last week Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government announced new measures to slow the spread of the virus, two months after scrapping social distancing rules. The new steps included the reintroduction of face masks in stores and broader use of the country's proof-of-vaccination “corona pass”.