The Swiss authorities reiterated this weekend their call for compliance with protective measures against the coronavirus. They expressed concern over the almost continuous increase in cases during the week.
Switzerland has registered 62 new cases of Covid-19 infection in the past 24 hours, the Federal Office of Public Health said on Sunday. The week was marked by an increase in the number of cases. Of 18 contaminations to the new coronavirus on Monday, there were 69 on Saturday, almost four times more.
While only 95 contaminations were recorded during week 23 (June 1-7), they increased to 142 in week 24 (June 8-14), then to 168 in week 25 (June 15-21). During the last seven days, the FOPH recorded a total of 311 contaminations.
Importance of tests
The latest figures worry that many measures have been lifted this week. The Minister of Health Alain Berset warned on Saturday against a relaxation in the fight against the coronavirus.
He recalled the importance of getting tested, even with mild symptoms. Paying attention and quarantining oneself in the event of a positive test is a question of individual responsibility and responsibility towards society.
Mr. Berset said he was cautiously confident for the time being. The situation will no doubt be tighter again later this year, he warned.
Infection rate on the rise
The director of the FOPH Pascal Strupler also expressed his concern on Saturday on the rise in infections. Hygiene and distance measures must absolutely be observed, despite the flexibility measures. All other behavior is a carte blanche for the virus.
The reproduction rate – that is, the average number of infections caused by an infected individual – is 1.28, tweeted the head of the Confederation’s Covid-19 task force, Matthias Egger, on Saturday. A number greater than 1 is an alarm signal: the virus continues to spread, added Mr. Egger to SRF radio.
According to the Swiss National Covid-19 Science Task Force, the reproduction rate is now even 1.58. It went back above 1 on May 25th. By early April, thanks to control measures, it had fallen to around 0.6.
Calls for wearing a mask
Mr Egger wondered what the effects of the recent loosening of protective measures would be, since the current reproduction rate was due to previous openings.
He again pleaded for the wearing of the mandatory mask in the SonntagsZeitung: “We recommend the obligation to wear a mask in public transport and wherever contact tracing is not possible”. For the president of the Conference of the cantonal directors of health, Lukas Engelberger, it is necessary “not to waste more time to make the wearing of the mask compulsory”, he specifies in the German Sunday press.
“Superspreader” in Zurich
Respect for hygiene and social distance measures as well as showing responsibility remain essential, the Zurich authorities recalled after ordering the quarantine of 300 people. They were in contact with a super-propagator of the virus in a nightclub.
This nightclub customer in Zurich on June 21 tested positive four days later. Five club visitors were infected. Thanks to the attendance list established by the club, the cantonal tracing team was able to inform customers present on Saturday that same time as the super-transmitter on Saturday that they must observe quarantine.
This case highlights the importance of tracing to stem the spread. Interest in the Swiss-Covid application, which tracks infections, therefore remains high. By the first day of its launch on Thursday, the Federal Statistical Office had registered more than half a million users and had 250,000 more downloads the next day. (ats / Le Matin)
Created: 28.06.2020, 12h52
–
