Over the last week, 9 people have died in sporting accidents in Switzerland’s Alps, reported RTS. In addition, the body of a climber that went missing on 11 July 2025 was recovered. On Monday, Valais’s cantonal police said that two climbers had found a body on the Lagginhorn on 5 August 2025. The body, which […]
The West Nile Virus – how high is the risk in Switzerland?
Cases of West Nile virus are climbing in Italy. Since the start of the year, 173 infections have been confirmed, 84 of them in the past week alone, according to national health authorities. The Lazio region, which includes Rome, has been the hardest hit, accounting for 104 cases this year. Eleven deaths have been reported […]
Sterile tiger mosquitoes successfully released in Ticino
Ticino is testing an unusual weapon against an unwelcome visitor: the Asian tiger mosquito. The insect, which can spread dengue and chikungunya fever, is abundant in the canton. Local researchers are now deploying sterilised males to curb the population, reported SRF. The method, first trialled in Morcote in 2024, proved highly effective, cutting mosquito numbers […]
Swiss breast cancer screening programmes under threat
Switzerland’s breast cancer screening programmes are under threat, reported SRF. The Cancer League, a leading advocacy group, has warned that upcoming cuts to physician fees may push some radiologists to abandon the initiative altogether—jeopardising a system credited with saving lives through early detection. Currently, 14 cantons offer biennial breast cancer screening to women aged 50 […]
Swiss insurers fear cost explosion from weight loss drug
Since March 2024, Switzerland’s basic health insurance started reimbursing part of the cost of Wegovy, a weight-loss drug developed by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk. The decision has led to a surge in uptake—and concern among insurers, reported RTS. Roughly 40,000 people received Wegovy under Switzerland’s mandatory health insurance in 2024, according an association representing […]
Switzerland expects second hottest June on record
Switzerland is sweltering under a heatwave, with MétéoSuisse forecasting the second-hottest June since records began. Temperatures reached between 32°C and 35°C across the lowlands on Wednesday, prompting a level-two heat alert across much of the country. In Ticino, Geneva and parts of Vaud and Valais, where conditions are more extreme, the alert level has been […]
Switzerland to cover vaccines and colon cancer screening regardless of insurance excess
From January 1st 2026, certain vaccines in Switzerland will be exempt from the insurance excess, the Federal Council has announced. The measure aims to raise vaccination rates across the population. Screening for colorectal cancer will also be expanded and covered for people aged 50 to 75. The change applies to vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, covid-19, […]
The reasons for Switzerland’s recent air pollution
Much of Switzerland awoke last Sunday beneath a blanket of smog. The skies have since cleared somewhat, but the air remains far from pristine. The sun’s dim appearance, filtered through a whitish haze, was not initially due to Saharan dust, as many might have assumed. Instead, the culprit was smoke from wildfires that have plagued […]
Women much more likely to take obesity medication in Switzerland
Weight-loss injections are taking off in Switzerland. But despite obesity being more prevalent among men, it is women who are far more likely to be prescribed them. A newly published report from the Swiss Health Observatory (Obsan), part of the national healthcare atlas, reveals that demand for drugs such as Wegovy—produced by Danish firm Novo […]
Switzerland to ban single-use e-cigarettes
On 4 June 2025, Switzerland’s upper house voted to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, known as vapes, marking a rare show of regulatory boldness in a country with weak laws against smoking. By 19 votes to 11, the Council of States approved a motion introduced by Green Party MP Christophe Clivaz that was already […]
