Switzerland Today
Hello, Swiss of the world,
Since January 1, Italy and Switzerland have shared the pain of the Crans-Montana tragedy, which left 41 people dead and 115 injured. But this has not brought the two countries closer together. On the contrary, it has fuelled months of diplomatic tension over the handling of the crisis.
Now, with the announcement of an agreement on hospital costs, tensions appear to be easing for the first time since the fire on New Year's Eve.
A man who tested positive for hantavirus is currently being treated in Zurich, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced today. He was a passenger on a Dutch cruise ship on which several people were infected and three died.
The man and his wife returned at the end of April from a trip to South America, from where the ship had departed, the FOPH said. He was admitted to Zurich University Hospital and placed in isolation. According to the hospital, his condition is stable. The FOPH added that no other Swiss nationals were on board the ship.
Tests carried out by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) confirmed infection with the Andes virus, a hantavirus strain found in South America. Unlike European hantaviruses, which are transmitted through the droppings of infected rodents, this variant can spread from person to person through close contact. It can cause severe respiratory illness and requires close monitoring and treatment.
The Dutch cruise ship, currently under quarantine off Cape Verde, has made headlines following the deaths of three passengers. The World Health Organization (WHO) has nevertheless sought to reassure the public, stating that “the risk to the general public remains low” and there is “no reason to panic or impose travel restrictions”.
This is being described as an unprecedented medical scandal in Switzerland. An independent investigation published yesterday found that around seven deaths at Zurich University Hospital (USZ) between 2016 and 2020 could probably have been avoided.
The report found excess mortality of between 68 and 74 deaths among 4,500 procedures performed at the cardiac surgery clinic between October 2014 and May 2020. It also identified 75 inappropriate surgical procedures. The findings of the administrative investigation commissioned by the USZ board are damning.
At the centre of the scandal is former department head Professor Francesco Maisano. In late 2019, a doctor accused him of endangering patients, testing non-validated implants and profiting from their use through stakes in the companies producing them. Maisano left the hospital in 2020 after the affair emerged.
For years, the USZ maintained that no patients had been harmed in the Maisano affair. The new report clearly contradicts that position, notes the Tages-Anzeiger. Hospital management issued its “sincere apologies” to patients and their families, calling the conduct “unacceptable”.
After months of diplomatic tension linked to the Crans-Montana tragedy, relations between Switzerland and Italy appear to be thawing. In recent days, Guy Parmelin, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has intensified contacts with Italian authorities.
Following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday, Parmelin met Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome yesterday. Parmelin said the talks took place in a “very cordial and open atmosphere”.
At the centre of the discussions is a proposed agreement on covering victims’ medical costs. Switzerland would cover the hospital costs of the 13 Italian patients treated in Switzerland, while Italy would pay for the two Swiss patients treated on Italian territory. “Our aim is to find the best solution in the interests of the victims,” Parmelin said.
Although the government has not yet formally approved the arrangement, criticism is already emerging in parliament. Radical-Liberal Party parliamentarian Cyril Aellen argued that Switzerland was “giving in to the Italian sirens” and risked paying more than Italy would have covered in return.
More and more American expats are renouncing their nationality – and Switzerland is no exception.
At the US embassy in Bern, appointments to renounce citizenship are increasing. One American woman living in the UK recently travelled to Bern because the waiting list at the US embassy in London now exceeds one year, according to the British newspaper The Guardian. In many European cities, waiting times now stretch over several months.
The reasons behind these decisions have evolved. While tax considerations once dominated, many now cite political motives, including growing polarisation in the United States, domestic tensions and dissatisfaction with government policies.
A recent legislative change is also playing a role. Young US citizens are now automatically registered for military service databases. Although this does not amount to conscription, some families living abroad fear their children could eventually face military obligations amid rising geopolitical tensions and the conflict involving Iran.
Translated using AI/amva/ts
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
