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Third Swiss EHEC case diagnosed

Switzerland has identified a third person infected with a rare strain of the E. coli bacteria that has killed 18 people in Europe, authorities said Friday.

Published: 3 June 2011 17:45 CEST

The federal public health office said on its website that 28 cases of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) have been identified in 2011, including 15 since the start of May.

In three of these cases, lab results confirmed that the bacteria “is the same strain of bacteria as that identified in the north of Germany,” the online statement said.

The public health office confirmed that the three people had visited Germany, where all but one of the EHEC-related fatalities has occurred.

The three, who are in stable condition, have not suffered from the more serious symptoms like bloody diarrhoea and potentially life-threatening conditions such as haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a kidney disease.

Swiss public health officials said it is possible that more cases of the rare strain will be identified.

Authorities announced the discovery of the first case last Friday.

At least 499 people, 470 of them in Germany, have HUS, according to the World Health Organisation, with 10 other European countries plus the United States reporting HUS or EHEC infections.

Authorities are still in the dark as to the origin of the outbreak but health officials say there are currently no indications that the bug can be transmitted from person to person.

It is primarily spread by consuming raw vegetables.

Why do so many foreign doctors practice in Switzerland?

In 2023, there were 16,590 foreign physicians working in Switzerland, according to a press release published by the Swiss Medical Association (FMH) on Wednesday.

While that in itself may not seem like a huge number, it constitutes 40.4 percent of the physicians practicing in Switzerland.

And this figure is not static: it has grown from ‘only’ 9,756 a decade ago.

Why has this been happening?

At least part of the answer lies in the general shortage of qualified personnel that has been plaguing many sectors of Switzerland’s economy — including healthcare.

“This increased need to call on foreign specialised personnel reminds us that there are not enough doctors trained in Switzerland to cover needs,” the FMH said.

Medical experts have been sounding the alarm about this scarcity.

According to FMH’s president Yvonne Gilli, Switzerland is training too few doctors, which will create a “healthcare gap” and have dire consequences in the near future, especially since more people are living longer and are developing chronic illnesses.

READ ALSO : Why Switzerland faces dire problem of doctor shortages

Where is Switzerland recruiting doctors from?

Germany is by far the country that ‘exports’ the most doctors to Switzerland, (50.2 percent).

Italy comes next with 9.5 percent, followed by France (7.1 percent) and Austria (6 percent).

The reason for this is simple and pragmatic at the same time: these physicians not only speak one of the national languages, but they are also EU nationals, which means they can work in Switzerland with no problem.

That’s because the agreement on the free movement of people allows the recognition of diplomas from EU and EFTA states, though doctors coming from those countries must still obtain an authorisation to practice in Switzerland.

Are Swiss doctors required to speak English?

Most physicians working in Switzerland have some level of English proficiency, ranging from basic to fluent because much of medical literature, as well as some exams, are in English only.

However, the only official requirement set by both the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the FMH is that doctors practicing in Switzerland must speak the language of the canton in which they work (which is why physicians from Germany, Italy, France, and Austria are recruited) .

Nowhere in the official requirements list, however, is there any mention of the obligation to be proficient in English in order to be able to practice medicine in Switzerland.

READ ALSO : Do all doctors in Switzerland have to speak English?

And if you are new in Switzerland and are looking for a physician, this article will provide useful information:

READ ALSO: What you should know about finding a doctor in Switzerland

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