“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.
More
More
‘Superspreader wedding’ shocks Swiss authorities
This content was published on
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.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
This content was published on
Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.
Italian in Switzerland accused of being Calabrian mafia henchman
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has charged an Italian resident of the Anello-Fruci 'Ndrangheta clan in the canton of Aargau.
Swiss CFOs have a pessimistic outlook due to trade wars
This content was published on
In the wake of the trade wars launched by US President Donald Trump, Swiss companies are assessing the future much more pessimistically.
Swiss parcel bomber had links to military and intelligence services
This content was published on
The 61-year-old man who admitted to being Patek Philippe's blackmailer in Geneva had connections in the police and the army.
Intensive care staff exhausted as Covid numbers rise
This content was published on
Intensive care workers are going into the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic exhausted, the Swiss Society of Intensive Care Medicine has warned.
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.