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Tag Archives: health

Coronavirus: a record 8,600 new daily cases in Switzerland

© David Herraez | Dreamstime.com On 28 October 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 8,616 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours, bringing the total to 135,658. Close to half of Switzerland’s laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported over the last two weeks (66,954). In addition, over the last two weeks, positivity – the percentage of tests coming back positive – has risen from 14% to 32%, a positivity rate higher than the...

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Should Covid be left to spread among the young and healthy?

© Dwfotos | Dreamstime.com Recent petitions from two groups of scientists clash over herd immunity. The Great Barrington Declaration On 4 October 2020, three public health experts launched the “Great Barrington Declaration”, a petition calling on governments to protect the vulnerable and allow the young and healthy to live their lives without restrictions. This group says it has grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing...

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Coronavirus: 17,440 new cases recorded in Switzerland over the weekend

© Fabiobalbi | Dreamstime.com Numbers published today by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show a further 17,440 tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Switzerland over 72 hours, a daily average of 5,813. Last Monday, the same 72-hour figure was 8,737, roughly half this Monday’s number. Half of Switzerland’s laboratory-confirmed cases since the outbreak began in February have been recorded over the last 15 days. Hospital numbers are up too. Numbers...

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Coronavirus: Geneva hospital calls for volunteers as numbers rise rapidly

© Martinmark | Dreamstime.com On Sunday 25 October 2020, Geneva’s HUG hospital issued a call for volunteers as the number of Covid-19 patients rises rapidly. The hospital seeks medical, care and administrative volunteers to bolster and relieve their staff. In addition, they seek those who might have recently retired or who are on leave. Bertrand Levrat, the hospital’s chief, said that it’s highly likely that the hospital’s peak number of 550 Covid-19 patients reached...

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Coronavirus: Germany adds Switzerland to risk list

© Axel Bueckert | Dreamstime.com Today, Germany announced it had added Switzerland to its list of Covid-19 risk countries, effective from 24 October 2020. Until now only certain Swiss cantons were on Germany’s list. The Robert Koch Institut, Germany’s health authority, advises German residents against non-essential travel to Switzerland. Other new additions to Germany’s list include Liechtenstein, Ireland, Poland, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and much...

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Coronavirus: false positives rare, according to Swiss experts

© Anyaivanova | Dreamstime.com There is an idea circulating that many of the positive PCR tests results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Switzerland are false, results which are known as false positives. However, according to experts interviewed by RTS, PCR test false positives are rare. A number of political figures, including some Swiss parliamentarians, have been referring to large numbers of false positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results. While some infected with the...

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Coronavirus: Switzerland hits new daily record

© Martinmark | Dreamstime.com On 21 October 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 5,596, new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours. The highest daily reported figure during spring was 1,293. A significant increase in testing means infection figures reported over spring are not comparable to today’s numbers. However, the difference in test positivity is narrowing. During the peak in March 2020 around 25% of tests were positive. Over...

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Coronavirus: Geneva hospital feels strain as number of patients rises

Hai Huy Ton That | Dreamstime.com In Geneva, the number hospitalised with Covid-19 has reached 134, the highest it has been since the first wave in spring. On Friday 16 October 2020, there were 94 patients. This represents a jump of 43% in 3 days. Across Switzerland, the picture is similar. On Friday there were 582 Covid-19 patients hospitalised. By Monday, this number had risen to 751, according to data published by RTS, a jump of 29%. The current trend in...

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Coronavirus: rapid tests prove reliable, according to Swiss study

© thanakorn hormniam _ Dreamstime.com SARS-CoV-2 tests that give results in 15 minutes scored well on sensitivity, according to a study by Unisanté in Lausanne, Switzerland. The tests, which involve taking a sample of nasal secretions from the back of the nose and throat, test for a protein present in the virus. The main PCR test used currently looks for genetic material specific to the virus, a more complicated laboratory-based process that can take around a day....

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Coronavirus: 14,000 new cases reported this week in Switzerland

© Patrik Slezák | Dreamstime.com On 16 October 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 3,105 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours, bringing the reported weekly total to 14,054, a figure 135% higher than the week before. Swiss hospitals are admitting more Covid-19 patients. An additional 68 were admitted over the last 24 hours, according to FOPH. There are currently 515 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across Switzerland, according...

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