Covid: Switzerland may be grossly undercounting daily infections

A senior health official believes the number of new coronavirus cases in Switzerland may be massively underreported.

Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset moments before a press conference on February 2, 2022. Keystone / Anthony Anex

Rudolf Hauri, president of the cantonal health authorities, estimates the number of people newly infected with the virus at 150,000 per day.

Virus activity in the country remains very high, according to an interview he gave to the weekly Nzz am Sonntag newspaper published on Sunday.

Officially, the Federal Office of Public Health reports between 25,000 and 35,000 cases daily. But Hauri estimates the real figure to be about five times higher than that.

Switzerland could witness a dramatic uptick in the number of coronavirus cases and hospital admissions. Statistically, the current wave will probably exceed the January wave, according to Hauri, who believes that lifting the mask requirement is likely to accelerate the trend.

“The federal government and the cantons will take another detailed look at the rising numbers next week,” Hauri added. In his view, the federal government should delay lifting the mask requirement in public transport.

Immunity thanks to vaccination or recovery remains very good, he said. But even triple-vaccinated people could become infected and end up in hospital when the virus activity is so high.

Asked whether the population still takes the virus seriously, the Zug-based doctor said the virus has not disappeared and will likely continue to occur seasonally, hitting hard again in the autumn.