Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Swiss ski resorts still operating told to ‘close immediately’

Villars-Les Diablerets has closed its ski area
Villars-Les Diablerets, in canton Vaud, has closed its ski area, but some ski resorts are still partly open and must close, the health office says Keystone / Anthony Anex

The Federal Office of Public Health (OFSP) has told any ski resorts still open to the public this weekend that they should “close immediately” in line with the government’s emergency coronavirus measures announced on Friday.

On March 13, the government imposed sweeping measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in Switzerland. These included banning public or private gatherings with over 100 persons. This applies to leisure and recreational facilities, museums, sports centres, cinemas, swimming pools and ski resorts, the government said.

However, while many resorts have ceased operations, some are still partly open, the health office said on SaturdayExternal link.

In some cantons, the new ordinance is being interpreted differently for ski resorts, it said.

“The Federal Council maintains its position: the measures decided upon also apply to recreational facilities such as ski resorts. Ski resorts as well as other entertainment and leisure facilities with more than 100 people at a time are to be closed. If the operators cannot guarantee compliance with this requirement, ski resorts must cease operations immediately,” it said.

“The Federal Office of Public Health asks those that are still open to close immediately.”

Swiss public radio, SRF, said ski lifts and cable cars in the Jungfrau region and in Gstaad  in central Switzerland were still operating on Saturday, as well as the Titlis. Howver, SRF said ski resorts in cantons Graubünden and Valais had closed. 

The virus is spreading throughout Switzerland. More than 1,100 cases were reported as of March 14 by federal authorities, as well as 11 deaths. 

More

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

More heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

More

Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland

This content was published on Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).

Read more: Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
The Federal Administrative Court in St Gallen, Switzerland.

More

Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland

This content was published on A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.

Read more: Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
Dieselgate scandal: In 2015 it emerged that millions of VW diesel-powered vehicles had been manipulated to pass environmental standards.

More

Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case

This content was published on The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.

Read more: Swiss prosecutors close VW ‘Dieselgate’ case
Employment prospects remain stable in the fourth quarter

More

Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable

This content was published on The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.

Read more: Q4 job prospects in Switzerland remain stable
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida.

More

Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

This content was published on A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.

Read more: Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR