LOC18:32
15:32 GMT
BRUSSELS, Feb 26 (KUNA) -- The Netherlands Friday reported 5,151 new coronavirus infections, increasing the number of total infections to 1,079,217.
65 more deaths from COVID 19 week were reported by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the last 24 hours increasing the total death toll to 15,504.
Meanwhile, an appeal court in The Hague Friday ruled that the government had introduced the curfew in mid January on valid legal grounds, turning down last week's lower court verdict.
The lower court had ruled that the curfew had been based on legislation to cover emergencies such as a dyke breach, and said that there was no question of similar urgency in the case of coronavirus.
However, the appeal court said that the current circumstances can be considered 'extraordinary' and this made the introduction of the curfew an option.
"The coronavirus pandemic is sufficient cause," the court said, according to Dutch media reports.
Campaign group Viruswaarheid, which brought the case against the curfew, said they will appeal today's ruling to the Supreme Court. (end)
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