First suspected case of Omicron variant detected in Switzerland
Switzerland's first case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 relates to a person who returned from South Africa around a week ago
Keystone / Alessandro Crinari
The first probable case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected in Switzerland, the government said late on Sunday, as the country tightened its entry restrictions to check its spread.
This content was published on
1 minute
Reuters/ts
Español
es
Detectan primer caso sospechoso de Ómicron en Suiza
The case relates to a person who returned to Switzerland from South Africa around a week ago, the Federal Office for Public Health said on Twitter.
Testing will clarify the situation in the coming days, it added.
Switzerland has ordered that travellers from 19 countries must present a negative test when boarding a fight to the country and must go into quarantine for ten days on arrival.
The list includes Australia, Denmark, Britain, the Czech Republic, South Africa and Israel.
Swiss voters on Sunday backed the government’s pandemic response plan by a bigger than expected majority in a referendum, paving the way for the continuation of exceptional measures to stem the rising tide of Covid-19 cases.
Some 62% voted in favour of a law passed earlier this year to provide financial aid to people hit by the Covid-19 crisis and laying the foundation for certificates giving proof of Covid-19 vaccination, recovery or a negative test. These are currently required to enter bars, restaurants and certain events.
More
More
Swiss Politics
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
How cancer cells makes healthy cells work for them
This content was published on
Cancer cells manipulate neighbouring cells for their own purposes: a research team at ETH Zurich has discovered that they can reprogram neighbouring cells in such a way that they help the tumour to grow.
This content was published on
The ban on non-residents entering the swimming pool in Porrentruy, canton Jura, expires on Sunday and would be extended until the end of the season, the mayor said.
Natural disasters: most Swiss back forced resettlement
This content was published on
The authorities should be allowed to order forced relocations if there is a medium-term risk of a natural event, according to 58% of participants in a survey.
US ends duty-free for parcels from all over the world
This content was published on
Postal service providers in numerous countries such as Switzerland have announced that they will no longer accept most parcels destined for the US.
Swiss Covid certificate – dividing views on freedom
This content was published on
For the second time this year, Swiss citizens will vote on the country’s Covid-19 law, notably the legal basis for the health certificate.
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.