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The charts and figures that reveal Switzerland’s current Covid-19 situation

With the start of 2021, Switzerland’s epidemiological status remains more or less the same as it was at the end of last year. But in some respects, improvements can be seen.

Published: 6 January 2021 10:00 CET
The charts and figures that reveal Switzerland's current Covid-19 situation
Epidemiological situation in Switzerland is more or less stable, numbers show. Photo by AFP

The coronavirus pandemic is by no means finished, but latest numbers released by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show there are some reasons for optimism:

The number of daily infections remains stable

Health officials indicated that the number — over 4,000 new cases each day — is too high. But it hasn’t risen dramatically in the past two weeks.

The chart below shows the current daily rate as of January 6th is well below the peak reached in mid-November but still much higher than in early autumn.

Currently, Switzerland’s rate of contaminations is 521,02 cases for 100,000 people.

However, as the map below shows, only five of the country’s 26 cantons (the ones shown in darker blue) exceed that number: Ticino (854 cases /100,000), St. Gallen (622,24), Lucerne (608), Aargau (593,14), and Zurich (592).

Curiously, Geneva, which in November reported the highest number of coronavirus infections in Europe, now records 341,38 cases per 100,000, falling well below the national average.

READ MORE: Has Switzerland's Covid vaccine rollout become a 'fiasco'?
 

Hospitalisations are declining

In October and November, many of Switzerland’s medical centres have reached, and in some cases even exceeded, their capacities.

“The pressure on hospitals remains high”, the heads of all five university hospitals in Switzerland — in Basel, Bern, Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva— said in a letter they sent to Health Minister Alain Berset in December. 

While many hospitals are still under pressure, the situation is better now, FOPH figures indicate.


The number of Covid-related deaths is falling

As is the case with hospitalisations, the number of deaths from coronavirus complications has also been falling in the last two weeks.

The average dropped from 0,96 cases per 100,000 recorded on December 27th, to 0.15 cases on January 4th.

Most of those who died were males over 80 years of age, followed by those between 70 and 79.


This FOPH site has all the figures related to Covid-19. 

READ MORE: Switzerland set to extend coronavirus measures 'until end of February' 

How does Switzerland compare to other countries in Europe?

When it comes to new Covid-19 cases Switzerland currently has higher rates than neighbouring countries Germany, Italy, France and Austria when population is taken into account.

 

When it comes to Covid-19 related deaths Switzerland is also seeing higher rates than its near neighbours.


This information is valid at the time of publication. Data may change at any time.
 

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COVID-19

What does the increase in the number of Covid cases in Switzerland mean?

Coronavirus infections are on the rise again, with Swiss health officials and epidemiologists expressing concern over the possible evolution of the disease.

Published: 15 November 2023 15:32 CET
What does the increase in the number of Covid cases in Switzerland mean?

While the worst of the Covid pandemic is long over, and experts don’t expect it to re-emerge with the same strength and health consequences as it had in 2020, new cases have been reported in the past weeks.

Wastewater analysis, one of the means employed by health officials to measure the presence of coronavirus, indicates a viral load that is at least five times higher than usual, with values “now almost as high as in some previous Omicron-related waves,” Christoph Ort, spokesperson for Eawag Institute, which traces Covid viruses in 14 wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland, told the media.

What does this mean?

According to Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the most common sub-variant in Switzerland right now is the highly transmissible XBB, also known as ‘Kraken.’

The Eris and Pirola variants, which circulated in the summer and early fall are also still present.

While none is nearly as dangerous (at least for most people) as the early Alpha and Delta viruses, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the early stages of the pandemic, there is a reason for concern nevertheless.

“It’s a start of a small wave,” said Rudolf Hauri, head of the Cantonal Doctors’ Association.

“More people are being admitted to hospitals again with, or because of, coronavirus. There are also new cases in intensive care units, but these are generally people with a medical history.”

Should you be worried?
 
While the number of people with serious Covid-related complications is not expected to be as high as previously, the rise in the number of infections should not be trivialised either, infectious disease specialists say.
 
This is especially important for people in the high-risk category — those over 65 or suffering from chronic illnesses — who can get quite sick if infected with the new variants, according to FOPH.
 
This is all the more important as the flu season is about to begin in Switzerland as well, and the confluence of both illnesses, plus other respiratory viruses that typically circulate during the winter, can be very risky.
 
What can you do to protect yourself?
 
Other than adopting the same protective measures as those during the pandemic — that is, washing hands, avoiding close contacts and crowded spaces, and wearing masks where needed — health officials also recommend top-up shots, for both Covid and flu.

READ ALSO: Who should get top-up Covid and flu jabs in Switzerland?

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