At a press conference this afternoon, Swiss federal government officials advised the cantons to effectively close schools. According to Alain Berset, children are to stop going to school, however, the cantons must make the final decision. Schools can stay open if they have fewer than 50 people in them, a measure designed to give teachers […]
Coronavirus: an estimate of the real number of infections in Switzerland
On 12 March 2020, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), there were 815 confirmed cases in Switzerland. There are obvious challenges to this figure. Possibly the most important is the time lag between infection and a confirmed case. On average, there are 5.1 days between catching the virus and the onset of […]
Coronavirus: youngest death so far brings Swiss death toll to four
The coronavirus has claimed its fourth victim in Switzerland. A 54 year old man died yesterday in Binningen hospital in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The man attended an evangelical church gathering of 2,000 people held between 17 and 24 February 2020 in the French city of […]
Coronavirus: too late to close Swiss borders
Switzerland’s government and health officials presented a coronavirus update yesterday. Key elements of the presentation are set out below. The full coronavirus press update can be viewed above in German. Closing borders is now pointless Patrick Mathys, who is leading the coronavirus response at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), said epidemiologically that closing […]
Coronavirus: Swiss per capita infection rate surpasses China’s
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. Coronavirus infection ratesInfogram Given the high rate of […]
Coronavirus: Switzerland now testing only high risk patients
The health authorities in Switzerland have decided to limit coronavirus tests to those over 65 or those with existing health problems that pose a higher risk of a deadly outcome. The list of existing health problems includes hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, a weakened immune system or cancer. In practice, this is likely […]
Coronavirus: third death in Switzerland
Today, cantonal authorities in Ticino announced that a patient had died from the Covid-19 virus in the canton, according to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The victim was an 80 year old woman. By midday on 10 March 2020 there were 476 recorded cases of infection in Switzerland, according to FOPH. Coronavirus: map […]
Coronavirus: workers from Italian red zone allowed to enter Switzerland
On Saturday, Giuseppe Conte, Italy’s Prime Minister, ordered the lockdown of the country’s northern province of Lombardy and 14 municipalities outside Lombardy, in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus, according to the newspaper Corriere della Sera. These Italian red zones, which contain a combined population of around 15 million people, will remain […]
Coronavirus: Swiss infection rate 2.5 times Hong Kong
If the Diamond Princess cruise ship moored in Yokohama is excluded, Switzerland makes the top 10 nations most affected by the coronavirus. By the afternoon of 9 March 2020 there were 380 recorded cases of infection in Switzerland, 3 of which had recovered and 2 of which had died. When countries are ranked based on […]
Coronavirus: second death in Switzerland
Today, cantonal authorities in Basel-Landschaft announced that a patient had died from the Covid-19 virus in the cantonal hospital in Liestal, according to RTS. The victim was a 76 year old man suffering from heart disease. The first person to die from the virus in Switzerland died on the night of the 4th and 5th […]
