The latest figures on Covid-19 patients in intensive care in Swiss hospitals show a steep rise in numbers. On 18 August 2021, there were a reported 163 Covid-19 patients in intensive care wards across Switzerland. This number is far from the peaks of the first and second waves when ICU Covid-19 patient numbers exceeded 500, […]
Risk of parts of Swiss real estate market overheating, says UBS
The latest UBS Swiss Real Estate Bubble Index published this week shows several regions at risk of overheating property prices. The regions highlighted as exposed include Basel, Lausanne, Vevey, parts of the Vaud Alps, Lugano, Nidwalden, Luzern, Zug and the Zurich region, all parts of Switzerland where there is plenty of high paid work. Lausanne, […]
Covid: no more free tests in Switzerland from October
On 11 August 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council said it expects to end free Covid-19 tests for those without symptoms from 1 October 2021, a decision that it will confirm on 25 August 2021, reported RTS. However, there will be exceptions. Those who cannot be vaccinated, such as some immunodeficient people and those under 12 will […]
Covid: Swiss cases and hospitalisations up sharply as holiday makers return home
This week, 11,407 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, up 81% from the week before (6,303). 143 hospital new hospital admissions were reported this week. Delays with hospital admissions data mean that recent figures are undercounted. Last week’s hospitalisation figures rose significantly after data collection caught up with reality. Similarly, the 143 admissions […]
Project to save lake Zug from pollution abandoned
Lake Zug and a number of other Swiss lakes are polluted with animal manure. The problem stems partly from Switzerland’s oversized livestock sector fed on imported feed. Scientists can gauge of the scale of the problem by measuring the phosphorus content of lake water. In Lake Zug there is currently 80 milligrams of phosphorus per […]
Switzerland stops returning people to Afghanistan
On 11 August 2021, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), announced that it was stopping the return of failed asylum seekers to Afghanistan, as the security situation in the country deteriorates. SEM said it was stopping the return of failed asylum seekers until further notice. Only preparations for the expulsion of criminals would continue. Sweden, […]
Covid: no change to measures as Swiss government accepts rising numbers
On 11 August 2021, at the federal government’s weekly briefing on Covid-19, Swiss health minister Alain Berset said that the government accepts that the numbers will increase, while explaining that no changes would be made to the current measures. Remaining restrictions in Switzerland include wearing masks in public transport and in some indoor areas, a […]
Covid: second vaccine approved for use on 12 to 17 year olds in Switzerland
Swissmedic, Switzerland’s drug approval agency, extended approval of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for use on 12 to 17 year olds this week. On 9 August 2021, Swissmedic said that it had carefully examined an application from Moderna Switzerland and had decided to extend the temporary authorisation for the use of its Spikevax vaccine on 12 […]
Mystery Swiss biologist defends China on coronavirus origin
On 24 July 2021, a Facebook post on an account supposedly belonging to a Swiss biologist by the name of Wilson Edwards claimed to have knowledge of US efforts to politicise the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Covid-19 investigations from within the organisation. The post was picked up by various Chinese state media, including the Global […]
Preacher accused of racial discrimination by Swiss prosecutor
In a long running case dating back to 2017, a Swiss prosecutor has accused a Libyan preacher of racial discrimination and started legal proceedings against the man, reported SRF. It is alleged that the 68 year old Libyan gave a hate speech targeting Jews, Christians, Hindus, Russians and Shiites in a mosque in the town […]
