“We now collect bed numbers daily. In the intensive care units, the number of free beds is now collected twice a day,” Andreas Stettbacher, the government delegate for the Coordinated Medical Service, told a press conference in Bern on Tuesday.
“I don’t have good news. Unless we take action, ICU beds will be fully occupied in 15 days.”
The figures would be published twice a week, he said.
At the same press conference, the head of the federal Covid-19 taskforce repeatedly stressed the gravity of the situation. Many cantons had taken effective measures, but the public was not behaving appropriately. “Stay at home whenever possible,” Martin Ackermann urged.
People are not restricting their mobility as they did in mid-March, he said. The mobility level is currently much higher than at the peak of the first coronavirus wave.
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‘Superspreader wedding’ shocks Swiss authorities
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The bride and groom at a Swiss wedding reportedly knew that some guests had symptoms of Covid-19 but did not inform the authorities.
“We have no time to lose,” Ackermann said. “There are no alternatives to drastic measures. The hospitals are already at their limits. If the trend continues, it will no longer be possible to treat everyone who need medical help.”
The taskforce therefore assumes that the government will decide on further measures on Wednesday. A lockdown must also be an option, Ackermann said.
Coronavirus infections in Switzerland rose by 5,949 on Tuesday, according to data from health authorities.
Total confirmed cases in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein increased to 127,042 and the death toll rose by 16 to 1,930.
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Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
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An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Number of bearded vultures in the Alps could double in ten years
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The bearded vultures in the Alps are currently doing so well that their population could double to around 700 animals within ten years.
Hardly any violations of minimum wage regulations in Ticino
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A good 3% of companies inspected have violated the minimum wage in the Swiss canton of Ticino in the past three years, according to an official review.
Mandatory EU referendum not possible, says Swiss commission
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Switzerland's treaties with the European Union cannot be subject to a mandatory referendum. This is the opinion of the majority of the responsible committee of the House of Representatives.
Consumer group files legal complaint against Swiss shoemaker On
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The consumer affairs bureau of French-speaking Switzerland has filed a legal complaint against On accusing it of greenwashing.
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Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Swiss pharma firm Roche, has dismissed fears that sales targets would be under threat by US tariffs.
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Researchers are asking the Swiss public for help in naming two newly discovered Swiss fish species of the genus Barbatula.
Science alliance warns against Swiss government’s cost-cutting plans
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An alliance of research and science institutions have warned of dire consequences if the Swiss government goes ahead with its austerity package.
Intensive care staff exhausted as Covid numbers rise
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Intensive care workers are going into the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic exhausted, the Swiss Society of Intensive Care Medicine has warned.
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