By 6pm on 11 March 2020 there were 1,225 recorded cases of infection in Switzerland.
When countries are ranked based on infection rate (cases / population), Switzerland now ranks ahead of China. Only Italy, South Korea, Iran and Norway have higher per capita infection rates than Switzerland.
Given the high rate of infection in Switzerland, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has stopped publishing a list of “affected countries”.
In addition, coronavirus testing has been restricted to high risk groups. Others with symptoms are required to stay at home and self isolate.
Going forward the recorded number of coronavirus infections in Switzerland is likely to be significantly lower than the real number.
More on this:
Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE (in English)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Nontechie Talk says
What’s the math on the infection rate per capita vs. population density? Is there any relationship between the number of infections in a country and its population density? If the infection rate correlates highly with density, then the spread is a simple function of density and reducing gatherings of large numbers of people is more likely to be effective in inhibiting the spread; but, if the correlation between the two is low, then the infection rate is being accelerated by other factors which should question the value of reducing gatherings of people as a primary strategy for reducing the rate of infection.
Telly says
The infection rate correlates highly with sociability, if the grandparents live at home as extended family, handshakes and kisses as greetings. Social cohesion to work together to stop the spread also plays a role…
MT says
So if I get a cough I’m supposed to self isolate? How do I know it is Corona virus? 2 weeks in isolation because it is RS virus instead, but how will I know if no one tests it? I mean Corona virus can be just like a normal flu. Also, who makes sure I do what I am told? What if my friend feels sick, but I don’t and yet we have spent lot of time together? And then I go on with my life as usual, my two year old getting the virus I have, and then sucking his fingers and touching everywhere in the playground. Kissing other kids in kitta. Oh well, I have little cough, I will take paid holiday from work. Will my employer agree with that? And who knows if I am going into worse condition, like the 38year old healthy marathon runner did in Italy? Is anyone calling to ask if I am feeling alright? Italy is drowning in patients in critical condition, and that is after the measures of trying to contain the spreading. Looks like Switzerland is giving up without even trying, and might end up overloading the hospitals with a more profound spike of critical cases than Italy has at the moment. After all, we are behind in time counted from the first case to this moment. One month from now, maybe the government will regret this decision. After all, wouldn’t be too complicated to organize a walk through testing space (similar to the drive through of South Korea). A tests costs 180CHF and that is too much,really? Who has set the price to what it is? I’m pretty sure in reality the cost isn’t that high, maybe 80CHF. But of course you got to make a profit. Capitalism is more important than a healthy nation and God forbid if the ordinary workers would manage to save up money to buy a home of their own. Where does tax money go to here in Switzerland, and how about the insurance money that a family of 3 pays 800CHF a month? Compulsory payment even now when people are getting laid off from work, since tourism has dropped significantly. I would like to be tested instead of automatically self isolate. With a 2 year old needing me most of the time, it would seem like unnecessary punishment to force him to stay home as well; something I will do gladly in case I am found positive with Corona virus. Also, this is the final nail in the coffin for tourism, business crashing already. Who would want to come here, when they will now be self isolated for 2 weeks at their home country upon returning. And not knowing which town has the least amount of cases. Plus, no country will allow Swiss to enter their countries without showing either declaration from doctor or by self isolation upon arrival. Lot of hospital workers in Ticino are from Italy and that’s why the boarder stays open. And yet here I am living in Switzerland, not allowed to work in a hospital even though I have a medical laboratory technologist degree from Nordic country; because I don’t speak any official language good enough. But sure, let the people from the infected areas move back and forth and treat our elderly into an earlier grave (and those of us adults who have autoimmune diseases, history with cancer, and so on). And the critical condition often comes fast, within a week from infection. And yes, it is a virus that belongs to the same type as common flu, but it is something none of us has ever had before. And it spreads easier and infects more, not to mention the death rate now estimated to around 3,4%. Multiple times more than that of common flu,or any influenza. Yes, eventually we are all getting it anyway. The testing would still help to slow down the spreading so the hospitals can handle the critical cases. Maybe Swiss government is believing that the measures they have in place in other countries had a minimum impact and that it is better to rip out the bandaid as swift as possible. Or maybe they trust the citizens to be more hygienic, and what I’ve seen, they’re not. And the elderly still tries to come touch my kid whenever I’m out. And the new acquaintances insist on shaking hands or hugging. Even if you’re not afraid of getting this new “flu”, please think about others. Autoimmune diseases and heart conditions rarely shows on the outside. Follow the hygienic methods and the instructions. That’s all we can do at this point in this country, since the government has given the responsibility to us.
Lily says
Government counts money, not people. They failed this test and failed to protect its people. Or,perhaps, this situation might be beneficial for some institutions, pension funds or medical insurances, since getting rid off the mentioned risk groups would save them lots of money in a long term, perhaps…. people must demand to close all borders, this is the only way to stop pandemia
Laura says
I am with you MT.
Totally disappointed about the way Switzerland is dealing with this problem.
And no….closing the borders will NOT anymore help to contain the virus…. WAKE UP, they virus is already here and it is spreading WAAAAAAY faster than similar population countries such as Hong Kong and Singapure (which they have even higher density!)
Like I needed a reason more to think that Switzerland is overrated…
total disappointed.
Straessle says
Thank you for this comprison. Most news outlets only show the absolute number of cases even though that statistic is less useful for understanding the current situation. Blick for example wrote an article asking when Germany will be under lockdown. However, looking at this data is appears that a lockdown might be needed even more in Swizerland as we have 4 times tha case density.
JP says
Where is Norway with its 69 cases per milion?
Le News says
Now added. Up to 81 per million now.
john.sw1984@hotmail.com says
Sweden should be number 6 on the list with around 30-32 cases per million
S mueller says
Im still appalled at the testing situation here in ch .
Even trump has said everybody with symptoms has the right to be tested. Italy in quarantine and nobody reporting on the problem here and the lack of testing in the richest country in the world .. on the border with the 2 worst countries in Europe france and italy ..
No testing here for cv unless u have lung disease. The numbers of cases must be way way higher than this … we pay enormous compulsory health care bills but people here who have c v symptoms are waiting minimum 5 hours in the hospitals only to be sent home without being tested . They are complaining theres no space in hospitals well they need to make space theres no shortage of money . Its just the swiss will need to change their mentality . Right now we quarantine only if there are symptoms even if you have been in close contact with an infected person. It seems that cv is being treated like general flu.Its about time this was reported!!!
Bob says
“people here who have c v symptoms are waiting minimum 5 hours in the hospitals ”
If you are going to the hospital with coronavirus symptoms you are an uneducated moron. The government has said non-stop for more than a month not to go to the hospital if you have symptoms. One should call first.
Fede says
Looks like the bullies are getting bullied; btw, where did you find the courage to say “the worst country in europe”.
In 2000 years we made the roman emoire, Galileo, Raffaello and the Rinascimento
In 1000 years you’ve made the cuckoo clocks
david says
calm the hack down, the media wants eveyone to panic, shame on them for this crap! Look at the numbers of infections and the number of deaths, it’s 3 % deaths , it’s a freaking flu ! this should tell you enough to calm down and take it as it is, not as the media want you to believe is it.
Augusta says
The death rate from seasonal flu is 0.1%. 3% is an ASTONISHINGLY HIGH NUMBER.
Ani says
The rate is 6% if you just consider total resolved cases!
MT says
Yes, 3% of Swiss population is over 250 000. And this is death rate. The rate of people in critical condition (needing machine to help with respiration) is lot higher (around 15-20%). Tracking the virus spread and isolating individuals who has been exposed to the virus is used to slow down the progress. So that not all get sick at once. Think about how many beds are in the hospital. Italy is already struggling and that is after attempts to slow down the spreading of coronavirus. Not to mention that there has now been tested two different strands of covid-19,meaning it has mutated at least once. Normal flu is a known virus, and for the more severe cases there is already medication. There is none for Corona virus yet. That’s one reason as well to try postpone the spreading, so we’ll have time to develop a medicine for the more severe cases. We laugh that it is only flu, until we are the ones lying on the hospital bed on the brink of death (if there is any beds left by then). Or watching our loved ones pass away within a few days. It is not media, it is life. Viruses have wiped away lot of lives in the history of human kind, rarely this globally though. So please at least take care of your hygiene, because what you consider to be just a flu can be a matter of life and death for someone else.
Telly says
So if the virus mutated, any vaccine they were working on is non valid?
Just asking