Swiss President Ignazio Cassis (right) and Health Minister Alain Berset at the government Covid presser on February 16.
Keystone / Anthony Anex
Ignazio Cassis, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has tested positive for Covid the day national coronavirus restrictions were lifted in Switzerland, the government confirmed on Thursday.
Cassis, who is also foreign minister, tested positive following a PCR test on Wednesday afternoon, the government said in a statementExternal link on Thursday.
This was shortly after the government press conference in Bern, when Cassis announced the lifting of most Covid restrictions in Switzerland.
As soon as Cassis learnt the test result, he immediately went into isolation this morning, a statement said.
“Mr Cassis has no symptoms and is in good health. He will continue his work from his home until Sunday. Until then, he will not participate in any planned events and will therefore not attend the Munich Security Conference, which will take place on Friday and Saturday this week,” the government said.
On Wednesday the government announced it would lift almost all its coronavirus pandemic restrictions as fears waned that a spike in infections, fuelled by the Omicron variant, would overwhelm the healthcare system.
Only the requirement to wear masks on public transport and at healthcare facilities will remain in force.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
This content was published on
The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
This content was published on
The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
This content was published on
Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
Student protestors at University of Lausanne continue pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
Since Thursday, a hall on campus has been occupied by students calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and a ceasefire in Gaza.
This content was published on
Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
This content was published on
Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.