COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland

The number of persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Switzerland is recorded by the Federal Office of Public Health.

February 2020

On 25 February, a 70-year-old man living in the canton of Ticino tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. On 27 February, seven more people tested positive in the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Geneva, Graubünden, Ticino, Vaud and Zurich. All persons had been in Italy shortly before. On 29 February, a 21-year-old woman from Biel was reported to have tested positive; she had returned from Milan a week earlier. As of 29 February, a total of 45 people had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

March 2020

On 1 March, new SARS-CoV-2 positive cases were recorded in Geneva and Valais. In Spreitenbach, 44 kindergarten children, eight teachers and a number of contacts were quarantined because of a 31-year-old teacher who tested positive. On 5 March, the first death associated with COVID-19 was reported in Switzerland: a 74-year-old woman with a history of chronic illness from the canton of Vaud. As of 7 March, patients with mild disease symptoms were provisionally no longer tested. On 8 March, the second death associated with COVID-19 was reported in Switzerland: a 76-year-old man from the canton of Basel-Landschaft. The Bruderholz Hospital reported another death linked to COVID-19 on 11 March: the 54-year-old suffered from various chronic pre-existing conditions. Uri was the last canton to be affected by the virus. The canton of Ticino reported two more deaths linked to COVID-19 on 12 March: two over-80s with pre-existing conditions. On the same evening, a 76-year-old woman suffering from severe pre-existing conditions died in the University Hospital of Basel. The canton of Ticino reported two more deaths linked to COVID-19 on 14 March: these were two elderly people with pre-existing conditions. In the canton of Zurich, an 88-year-old man died on 15 March, also with pre-existing conditions. The canton of Basel-Stadt reported three new deaths associated with COVID-19 on 16 March; all over 70 years of age and with known pre-existing conditions. The canton of Bern also reported the first death associated with COVID-19, with a total of 18,979 people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 as of 31 March. However, multiple positive results in the same person - as well as false positives - were possible.

April 2020

As of 1 April 2020, the total number of tests performed to date for SARS-CoV-2 was around 139,000; of these, the result was positive in 15% of the tests. The age range of those tested positive in Switzerland and Liechtenstein was 0 to 102 years, with a median of 53 years; this means that 50% of patients were younger, 50% older than 53 years; 48% were men, 52% women. There were significantly more adults with positive findings than children. The number of deaths recorded in association with COVID-19 was 276 men and 156 women. The age range was 32 to 101 years and the median age was 82.5 years. As of April 30, a total of 29,703 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, multiple positive results in the same person - as well as false positives - were possible.

July 2020

According to the FOPH's situation report on the epidemic situation in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, as of 1 July 2020 the number of tests carried out to date for SARS-CoV-2 totalled around 584,000; of these, the result was positive in 6.5% of the tests. In weeks 25 and 26 alone, over 105,000 PCR tests were performed - representing about 18% of all tests since February - which yielded a negative result in about 99.5% of test subjects (multiple test results in the same person were possible). Nevertheless, the high absolute number of 525 positive test results - attributable to the unprecedented number of tests - was misinterpreted by the general public as the possible start of a second wave. In week 25, 13 patients were hospitalized, and in week 26, ten. The number of deaths recorded in connection with COVID-19 was three in these two weeks. As of 31 July, a total of 35,250 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, multiple positive results in the same person - as well as false positives - were possible. In addition, the positivity rates were remarkably low, at 0.6% (week 26), 1.0% (week 27), 1.3% (week 28), 1.7% (week 29) and 2.3% (week 30).

August 2020

As of August 31, a total of 41,829 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, out of nearly 1 million PCR tests. In addition, the positivity rates of 2.3% (week 30), 3.0% (week 31), 2.8% (week 32), 3.7% (week 33) and 3.2% (week 34) were higher than in July, but still manageable compared to March and April (around 15%).

September 2020

As of September 30, a total of 53,885 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, out of nearly 1.4 million PCR tests. In addition, the positivity rate of 2.8% (week 35), 3.0% (week 36), 3.1% (week 37), 3.4% (week 38) and 3.2% (week 39) was roughly comparable to August, but in the manageable range compared to March and April (around 15%).

October 2020

As of October 31, a total of about 136,000 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, out of about 1.9 million PCR tests.

Definitions

Confirmed case

• Person with positive test for SARS-CoV-2; regardless of symptomatology.

Death

• Person who was considered a confirmed case at some point and subsequently died; regardless of whether SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 was the cause of death or not. The canton of Vaud also counts deceased residents of nursing homes with mere COVID-19 symptoms but who were never tested.

Positive test results

As of 13 January 2021, the total number of tests for SARS-CoV-2 performed in Switzerland and Liechtenstein was approximately 3.93 million. Across all RT-PCR and antigen tests to date, the result was positive in a good 13%; however, multiple positive or negative tests are possible in the same person. In addition, the false-positive results of a PCR test must not be disregarded, as these increase above all when symptomless people are tested. The age range of the positively tested persons was 0 to 108 years. Adults were clearly more frequently affected than children. Since week 24/2020, incidence has been highest among 20-29 year olds (median 43 years). By week 23/2020, it was highest among those aged 80 years and older (median 52 years). In recruit school, 4% of military personnel tested positive without symptoms. On 27 January, the Federal Council decided that negative test results no longer had to be reported to the FOPH - positive results, on the other hand, still had to be reported - which made it impossible to report the positivity rate from this point on.

Hospitalisation

As of 23 June 2021, a total of 29,637 patients (16,922 men, 12,712 women, 3 unknown) were hospitalized in association with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2. The age range was 0 to 103 years; median over 70 years. Persons over 80 years of age were by far the most frequently hospitalized, both in absolute and relative terms. Complete data are available for 27,089 (corresponding to 91%) of the hospitalized persons: thus, 85% suffered from at least one relevant previous disease. The three most common pre-existing conditions were hypertension (50 %), cardiovascular disease (39 %) and diabetes (25 %).

Deaths

As of 23 June 2021, the total number of deaths in Switzerland and Liechtenstein associated with COVID-19 - i.e. patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 but whose cause of death was not clarified - was 10,331. The age range was 0 to 108 years, with a median of over 85 years. Persons over 80 years of age died by far the most frequently - in absolute and relative terms; men more frequently than women. Complete data are available for 10,009 (97%) of the deceased: 96% suffered from one or more previous illnesses. The three most frequently mentioned pre-existing conditions were high blood pressure (61 %), cardiovascular disease (61 %) and chronic kidney disease (28 %).

Status: 23 June 2021

Excess mortality

Definition

In demography, excess mortality refers to an increased mortality rate in a comparison of the total number of deaths in a year with the average of the previous years or otherwise obtained expected values. Accordingly, under-mortality refers to a comparatively lower mortality rate.

Excess mortality 2020

According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 76,391 people died in Switzerland in 2020 (as of June 22, 2022) compared to 67,780 people in 2019 (population: 8,606,033) and 67,088 in 2018 (population: 8,544,527).

Mortality 2021

Mortality (by age group) 2015-2021

Cantons