Swiss plan to repatriate critical Covid-19 patients
Many of those being repatriated fell ill while on vacation.
Keystone / Alberto Valdes
Switzerland plans to repatriate around 80 people currently suffering from Covid-19, a health official confirmed on Saturday.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ds
The Armed Forces Medical Service informed the cantons about the plan on Friday. About half of those affected fell ill while on vacation in Balkan countries, according to a Tamedia group report.
Tobias Bär, spokesman for the Conference of Cantonal Health Directors, confirmed the report on Saturday in remarks to Keystone-SDA news agency.
For at least eight people, repatriation is considered “urgent”. The army medical service has called on the cantons and hospitals to show “solidarity, transparency and honesty”.
The Conference of Cantonal Health Directors brings together the 26 cantonal public health directors of Switzerland.
Details of the repatriation effort are to be hammered out in a Monday meeting gathering the cantonal public health directors, local authorities and representatives fo the Armed Forces Medical Service and the Society for Intensive Care Medicine.
Occupancy rates at intensive care units in hospitals is currently very high in Switzerland (80.3%), according to data released by the Federal Office of Public Health on Friday. More than a third (33.7%) of available beds are occupied by Covid 19 patients.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Swiss reject plans for bigger motorways and extra rights for landlords
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Argentina’s Milei to visit Switzerland in January 2025
This content was published on
Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei plans to visit Switzerland on January 24, 2025 to attend an event organised by the Liberal Institute in Zurich.
This content was published on
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, says it intends to open an office in Zurich. The move is part of its European expansion plan, after setting up offices in London, Paris, Brussels and Dublin.
This content was published on
The Swiss economy is growing slightly faster than expected, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
This content was published on
The House of Representatives on Wednesday cut the foreign aid budget by CHF250 million ($282 million) in favour of the army.
Parliament confirms 13th pension payment to be paid once a year in December
This content was published on
The 13th old-age pension payment will be paid out as planned from December 2026, the Swiss Senate confirmed on Wednesday.
This content was published on
Around 1,000 Swiss farmers took part in a protest action near Bern on Tuesday, calling for less administrative work, more planning security and fairer prices.
UN appeals for more funds to assist 305 million people in need
This content was published on
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 305 million people will need aid in 2025.
Swiss authorities release right-to-die activist in Sarco ‘suicide capsule’ case
This content was published on
A right-to-die activist has been released from police custody over the reported first use of the Sarco “suicide capsule”, after prosecutors ruled out the possibility of an intentional homicide.
Switzerland demands immediate halt to hostilities in Syria
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has called for an immediate end to hostilities in Syria. International humanitarian law must be respected, it declared via the social media platform X on Tuesday.
Poll: right-wing Swiss People’s Party enjoys growing support among population
This content was published on
If national elections had been held in Switzerland last month, the right-wing Swiss People's Party would have won, and increased its share of votes by 2% compared to the 2023 federal elections.
Swiss living in Covid-19 hotspots unable to get Covid vaccine
This content was published on
The head of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad has called on the government to ensure that expatriate Swiss citizens get access to Covid vaccines.
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.