This is more than twice as many as last year, when 97 cases were reported. Ticks are known to be most prevalent during the summer months. It is likely that favourable weather conditions, coupled with social distancing rules, have prompted many to venture into forests, the FOPH says by way of explanation. It is also possible that semi-confinement measures have prevented some people from being vaccinated.
The estimated number of consultations in June for a tick bite has surpassed the number logged in 2018, a record year. All cantons except Geneva and Ticino have been affected.
The FOPH points out that the vaccine is a good counter-measure to tick-borne meningoencephalitis (TBE). It is recommended for adults and children, generally from the age of six, who are staying in a high-risk area.
Ticks can also transmit borreliosis, also known as Lyme disease, which is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks. If left untreated, infection can spread to the joints, the heart, and the nervous system. There is no vaccine but most cases of borreliosis can be treated successfully with antibiotics taken over a few weeks.
A free smartphone tick appExternal link developed by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences provides users with useful maps and tips on how to minimise the risk of being bitten by ticks.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
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Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
Migration: Swiss government wants to shorten reunification period for families
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Family members of people temporarily admitted to Switzerland should in future be able to join them after two years instead of three.
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2023 was a record year for the Rhaetian Railway in several respects. Never before has the narrow-gauge railway in Graubünden, eastern Switzerland, transported so many passengers and cars.
Swiss CFOs much more optimistic despite global uncertainty
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The main concerns of business leaders in Switzerland are geopolitical uncertainty and the important trading partners Germany and China.
Record organ donation in Switzerland despite high rejection rates
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More organ donations were recorded in Switzerland in 2023 than ever before. This was despite a high rejection rate of 58% by surviving relatives.
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Seven years after the death of record-breaking Swiss mountain climber Ueli Steck, his estate is going to the Alpine Museum of Switzerland in Bern.
Nation urged to vaccinate against tick-borne disease
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Ticks have become such a menace across Switzerland that the government is urging everyone to get vaccinated against a disease they cause.
The wasp sting that led to involuntary manslaughter
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A man has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and negligent physical injury after problems removing a wasps' nest.
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The current hot summer in Switzerland is being enjoyed not just by people but also by wasps, bees and mosquitos. The organisation is therefore advising people to take precautionary measures, such as not drinking out of cans. The smallest insects cause the biggest problems, SUVA said on Tuesday. Wasps, bees and ticks cause some 20,000…
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