Dr Bruce Aylward, the Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization, and leader of the WHO team that visited Wuhan in China offers advice on containing the coronavirus in the interview below by the UK’s Channel 4 News. According to Aylward, one of the most important elements of a successful fight against the virus is […]
Coronavirus: first death in Switzerland
The first person to die from the Covid-19 virus in Switzerland died on the night of the 4th and 5th of March 2020 in the canton of Vaud after being admitted to the CHUV hospital in Lausanne on 3 March 2020. The victim was a 74 year old woman, according to a federal government press […]
Swiss coronavirus tests now partly covered by health insurance
Yesterday, the Swiss government announced that diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus (novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) will be covered by compulsory Swiss health insurance up to a maximum of CHF 180 from 4 March 2020. Until this announcement it was unclear who would pay for the tests. Now the cost will be borne by health insurance […]
Swiss health authority adds avoiding handshakes to coronavirus advice
In response to the increased spread of the novel Coronavirus Switzerland’s health authority has issued new hygiene advice, which includes avoiding hand shakes. This additional measure was added recently along with two others: dispose of used paper tissues in a sealed waste bin and always call ahead before going to the doctor’s or the emergency […]
Some in Basel defy Swiss government ban on gatherings
Hundreds of people defied a federal government ban on gatherings in Basel, according to RTS. The Basel Fasnacht, a highlight of the city’s calendar, was cancelled after Switzerland’s federal government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people in an attempt to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, the cancellation did not stop everyone. […]
Coronavirus: map of Swiss cases by canton – updated
Swiss broadcaster RTS has created a list of charts showing the rates of infection over the last 14 days by canton. In addition to the numbers presented above, here are a few other data sources. The first two have charts showing numbers by canton. Tribune de Genève – this gives a breakdown of Swiss data […]
Three years for coronavirus vaccine, according to expert
It typically takes 10 to 15 years to develop a vaccine, however, recent progress in the development of vaccines could cut the time to three years, according to Thomas Cueni, who was recently interviewed by RTS. Cueni is the Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (IFPMA), the global association of research-based pharmaceutical […]
Swiss government bans large gatherings
In a press release this morning, Switzerland’s federal government announced a ban on all events involving more than 1,000 people. “In view of the current situation and the spread of the coronavirus, the Federal Council has categorised the situation in Switzerland as ‘particular’ in terms of the Epidemics Act. Large-scale events involving more than 1000 […]
Number of coronavirus cases continues to grow in Switzerland
This afternoon, Switzerland’s health authority announced a fifth person in Switzerland had contracted the new coronavirus Covid-19. The announcement follows another this morning announcing three new cases. The latest case involves a man in the canton of Aargau who arrived back in Switzerland after spending time in northern Italy. Like the others he has been […]
Switzerland confirms three new coronavirus cases
One person in the canton of Geneva and two in the canton of Graubünden recently tested positive for the new coronavirus Covid-19, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced this morning. All three, who are in good health, are being treated in hospital isolation units. These three new cases bring the total number of people […]
