Health News in English

Waiting times for disability benefits continue to rise

The waiting list for disability benefit assessments in the Netherlands has increased, with over 11,000 people waiting longer than six months by the end of 2025. This is a significant rise compared to ...

Free water, Zaanse cookies and melon at the supermarket: GGD opens cooling spots in Nieuw-West

Shade in libraries and cooling in mosques: how the city is preparing for the heat

The city of Amsterdam has opened twelve pilot cooling spots, including libraries, theaters, and a mosque, to provide relief for residents during an extreme heatwave. These locations are strategically ...

Haarlem Court of Audit orders investigation into rat nuisance; ‘effective and structural approach’ potentially at stake

The Haarlem Audit Office has launched an investigation into the city's management of rat infestations to determine if current control efforts are effective. The probe focuses on whether unclear divisi...

De Jonge hopes lessons will be learned from COVID crisis response

Former Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge is scheduled to testify before the parliamentary inquiry committee on July 10 and September 3 regarding the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. D...

Heatwave: Haarlem residents have relatively green and cool gardens

Haarlem residents have gardens with more greenery and plants compared to similar municipalities, helping to lower temperatures during heatwaves. Grassy areas can feel four degrees cooler than paved su...

Two victims of Vogelwaarde accident still in hospital

Two children remain hospitalized following a collision near Vogelwaarde, Zeeland, earlier this month, while a third child was discharged last week. The update was provided by Namens de Familie, an org...

Eiffel Tower and Louvre change opening hours due to heat

The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum in Paris have adjusted their opening hours due to an extreme heatwave. The French capital is currently under a red alert, which is the highest weather warning le...

Increased risk of wildfires in seven safety regions

Seven out of twenty-five safety regions in the Netherlands are currently facing an increased risk of wildfires, triggering a Phase 2 warning. The alert applies to all regions in North Holland, as well...

Free outdoor swimming with the Stadspas until Saturday June 27

Residents of Amsterdam and Weesp with a Stadspas can access six outdoor swimming pools for free from June 24 through June 27. This initiative provides pass holders with several days of complimentary a...

Free drinking water and wet sponges: festivals prepare for heat

Festivals taking place this weekend, such as Defqon.1 and Lago Lago, are implementing special heat plans to protect visitors and staff from high temperatures. Organizers will provide measures like fre...

Prosecutors demand 7 years for former Zoetermeer primary school janitor

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has demanded a seven-year prison sentence and mandatory psychiatric treatment for a 58-year-old former primary school janitor in Zoetermeer. Oskar van der V. is ac...

Water boards: extra water supply and dike inspections due to drought

Dutch water boards are implementing extra water supply and dike inspections in response to extreme heat and drought conditions. These measures aim to prevent salinization in western regions and identi...

One primary school in the region starts a heat schedule today, while another just adds extra drink breaks. Why? It depends on the state of the building

Primary schools in the Haarlem region are implementing varied measures, ranging from tropical schedules to extra drinking breaks, to manage this week's high temperatures. Each school determines its ow...

Health risk warnings at more swimming locations

The number of health risk warnings at swimming locations has increased from 40 to 46 due to poor water quality, according to data from Zwemwater.nl. This rise was highlighted in a recent analysis by t...

Extra breaks and shorter routes for delivery workers due to heat

Delivery services and supermarkets are implementing safety measures, including extra breaks and increased water supplies, to protect employees from upcoming extreme heat. These adjustments allow deliv...

VUmc to cease to exist as a hospital; all care tasks eventually transferred to AMC

RIVM warns of smog in central and southern Netherlands

The RIVM has issued a warning for poor air quality due to smog in the central and southern regions of the Netherlands on Wednesday and Thursday. Affected areas include parts of Flevoland, Utrecht, and...

Heat in Haarlem

The city of Haarlem has introduced measures to help residents cope with high temperatures, such as providing free water refill stations and sunscreen dispensers. Official swimming locations like Molen...

Major impact from sexual abuse case at Zoetermeer school

Oskar van der V. stood trial on Tuesday for sexual misconduct and secretly filming children at a school in Zoetermeer. During the proceedings, parents of ten victims exercised their right to speak, de...

Psychological evaluation for man who planned to kill asylum seekers at Amsterdam center

Fire in garbage truck in Nieuw-Vennep, load dumped on street

A fire broke out in the cargo hold of a garbage truck on Tuesday morning in Nieuw-Vennep. The driver responded by dumping the burning waste onto the street at Bolwerksepoort to manage the situation an...

Various sporting events cancelled due to the heat

Several sporting events across the Netherlands have been cancelled due to an upcoming heatwave. Affected events include the four-day walking event in Sevenum and various running races such as the Roda...

Code red in 15 Italian cities due to high temperatures

The Italian Ministry of Health has issued a code red alert for fifteen cities, including Rome and Milan, due to extreme heat. Authorities are advising residents to remain indoors during the hottest pa...

Prosecutors seek mandatory psychiatric treatment for Purmerend man suspected of sexual assault and attempted aggravated assault at Parnassia

The Dutch justice department is seeking mandatory psychiatric treatment (TBS) for a 29-year-old man from Purmerend accused of assaulting a nurse and a patient at a clinic in Castricum. The incidents o...

Weeronline: possible super heatwave in the coming days

Weather service Weeronline predicts that several regions in the Netherlands may experience a "super heatwave" this week. This phenomenon occurs when temperatures reach at least 30 degrees Celsius for ...

After a ‘cool’ Tuesday, mercury rises to 37: Amsterdam heading for possible super heatwave

Number of drownings during heatwave in France rises

Approximately twenty people have drowned in France since the start of the weekend as the country faces an intense heatwave. Sports Minister Marina Ferrari has cautioned the public against swimming in ...

One in three schools adopt heat schedules, working parents at their wits' end: 'Is that allowed?'

One in three schools in the Netherlands is implementing a 'tropical schedule' as classroom temperatures soar toward 40 degrees Celsius. This shift to shorter school days is causing significant stress ...

Red alert in record number of French departments due to heat

France has issued a red weather alert for 54 departments starting Tuesday at noon due to record-breaking heat affecting approximately 38.8 million residents. Temperatures in the central and western pa...