THE HAGUE, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch Minister of Medical Care Bruno Bruins stepped down one day after he collapsed during a debate in parliament about the coronavirus crisis, the Government Information Service of the Netherlands (RVD) announced on Thursday.

Hugo de Jonge, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, will take over the tasks of Bruins temporarily. The RVD did not mention the reason for the resignation of Bruins, but obviously his collapse has to with it.

After Bruins fell down during the debate on Wednesday night in The Hague he stood up, drank some water, left the building and went home. "I fainted from exhaustion after intensive weeks," he stated rapidly through Twitter. "Now things are going better again. I'm going home now to rest tonight so I can get back to work tomorrow to fight the corona crisis as best I can."

Last Sunday the Dutch government announced additional measures, such as the closure of schools, childcare facilities, eating and drinking establishments and sports and fitness clubs until April 6. A total lockdown of the country was so far not an option for the Dutch government.

The number of novel coronavirus deaths in the Netherlands rose by 18 to 76 from Wednesday to Thursday and the total of positive tests for COVID-19 increased by 409 to 2,460, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) announced on Thursday.