Covid-19 situation ‘stable’ in Switzerland despite rise in cases

It's impossible to predict how the situation will develop, says the health office’s head of communicable diseases Keystone

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has reported more than 400 new daily coronavirus cases for the first time since mid-April. Despite the 405 cases registered in Switzerland and Liechtenstein on Friday, the office’s head of communicable diseases says he is not worried.

The reproduction rate is just under 1, meaning there is no exponential growth, Stefan Kuster told the media in Bern on Friday. The situation is also stable in terms of hospitalisations and deaths, he said. “At the moment we’re not talking of a second wave; we’re talking of a slow increase in infections. The efforts of the population and the cantons are bearing fruit.”

Kuster said it is impossible to predict how the situation will develop. “That depends on people returning from abroad, on the effect of the resumption of major events, and on autumn, which could have an influence. Everyone is called upon to prevent a strong resurgence [of cases],” he said.

On Wednesday the government announced a series of conditions for the resumption of mass events in Switzerland, which have been limited since March to curb the spread of coronavirus infections.

On Thursday 364 new cases were reported, on Wednesday 370, on Tuesday 216 and on Monday 163.

Three-quarters of the new cases involved people aged under 40.