Naturally, many of us would like to know the fatality rate of Covid-19. But at this stage it is guesswork. Here are some of the problems with the most popular fatality rate calculations. The most popular calculation involves dividing the number deaths by the number of cases. Epidemiologists call this a naive case fatality rate […]
Coronavirus: Swiss test rate now higher than South Korea’s
On 26 March 2020, Switzerland’s federal government announced the number of Covid-19 tests conducted so far in Switzerland. South Korea, a nation often cited among those with high test rates, now trails Switzerland on the number per capita tests it has conducted. By 26 March 2020, South Korea had conducted 364,942 tests, a rate of […]
Coronavirus: a test to see if you’ve had it now in the pipeline
Coronavirus testing has been rationed in Switzerland, reserving it for high risk more severe cases, although doctors retain discretion to have anyone tested. It is likely, although some uncertainty remains, that those who have been infected and have recovered will have immunity and no longer be able to act as carriers of the disease. However, […]
Coronavirus: more than 12,000 cases in Switzerland
By mid afternoon on 27 March 2020, Switzerland had 12,331 recorded cases of Covid-19. Only seven other countries had more cases. USA (85k), China (81k), Italy (81k), Spain (64k), Germany (47k), Iran (32k) and France (29k) all had more recorded cases than Switzerland. Switzerland, with 13.9 cases per 10,000, led the world in per capita […]
Coronavirus: Verbier emerging as a Covid-19 hotspot
A doctor in the resort has sounded the alarm after a jump in the number of positive cases in the municipality of Bagnes, where Verbier is located, according to the newspaper Le Nouvelliste. Local doctor Sabine Popescu said “after we receive the next round of results, we expect around 60 people will have tested […]
Coronavirus: infection rates in some Swiss cantons now higher than Lombardy
Lombardy, the region in northern Italy where the coronavirus outbreak first took off in Europe, now has fewer per capita cases testing positive for the virus than some Swiss cantons. Recent data from Italy show there were 221 cases per 100,000 in Lombardy. In Ticino, Switzerland’s worst affected canton, there were 477 cases per 100,000, […]
Coronavirus: Vaud, Basel and Ticino worst hit
The latest update on the spread of the coronavirus in Switzerland was published this afternoon. By 20 March 2020, the recoded number of Covid-19 infections in Switzerland had risen to 4,840, a number sure to be far below the real number of infections. The numbers of deaths (43) and recoveries (15) are low, reflecting Switzerland’s […]
Switzerland introduces fines for gatherings of more than 5 people
Switzerland’s federal government announced today that all gatherings in public spaces, including unplanned ones, are now banned. Public spaces include parks, squares and streets. People gathering in groups of fewer than 5 must stay at least 2 metres apart. The police have been given authority to issue fines of CHF 100 per person to anyone […]
Coronavirus: estimating the death toll in Switzerland
COVID-19 has hit the world fast and we are racing to understand it, while struggling to come to terms with its deadly impact. When trying to estimate the impact, it is tempting to take the current number of deaths and divide it by the number of reported cases to find a death rate. In Switzerland […]
Is Ibuprofen dangerous for those infected with the coronavirus?
Ibuprofen belongs to a family of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). On 14 March 2020, Olivier Véran, France’s health minister Tweeted that taking anti-inflammatory medicine “could be an aggravating factor” for those infected with Covid-19, and recommended paracetamol for those with a fever. Later, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), said that […]
