COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland

This article describes a current event. The information can therefore change quickly.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland has been occurring since the beginning of February 2020 as a regional sub-happening of the global outbreak of the respiratory disease COVID-19 and is based on infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the coronavirus family, which emerged at the end of 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has been spreading from the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, Hubei Province since December 2019. As of March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a pandemic.

The number of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 initially increased rapidly, starting in the canton of Ticino. Despite initial measures, it was not possible to prevent the disease from spreading northwards. On 27 February 2020, the Federal Office of Public Health launched the campaign "This is how we protect ourselves" with hygiene recommendations to protect against the new coronavirus. On 28 February 2020, the Swiss Federal Council classified the situation in Switzerland as a "special situation" under the Epidemics Act and adopted the Ordinance on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19), which, among other things, banned large events with more than 1,000 people.

Due to the continuing rise in the number of infections, the Federal Council declared an "exceptional situation" (highest risk level) on 16 March 2020 in accordance with the Epidemics Act from midnight until 19 April 2020 for the time being. With the new decree, it massively restricted public life; all non-essential shops and services had to close immediately.

On 8 April 2020, the Federal Council extended the "exceptional situation" until 26 April 2020, but at the same time held out the prospect of an initial exit plan from the so-called "lockdown". The majority of the emergency measures were lifted on 11 May 2020. The Federal Council did not want to allow events with more than 1,000 people again before the end of August.

As of 22 October, the FOPH published Strategic principles for the management of COVID-19.

On 24 December 2020, the Federal Office of Public Health announced that a new variant of the coronavirus had been discovered independently in the United Kingdom and South Africa. In Switzerland, the new variant from the UK (VOC-202012/01) was detected in two samples. The Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force again called for stringent and comprehensive measures.

This is the first time since the Second World War that the Federal Council has ruled for an extended period under emergency law. The powers under Art. 185 of the Federal Constitution allow the national government to decide immediately what it deems necessary to "counter serious disturbances to public order or to internal or external security". The Federal Council can thus act without involving parliament, the cantons or the people. On the same day, Switzerland introduced border controls and entry restrictions with its neighbouring states, with the exception of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and mobilised up to 8,000 members of the Swiss army for assistance duty. By 15 June, all borders were closed to entry for purposes that were not absolutely necessary. As neighbouring countries also kept their borders closed, it was generally not possible to leave Switzerland. However, all borders remained open at all times for border crossers.

The federally ordered closure of all shops (except food), markets, restaurants, bars, entertainment and leisure establishments, schools, universities and places of worship, as well as the recommended protective measure to "stay at home" if possible, was referred to in the media as a "lockdown", although no exit restrictions were ever imposed by the federal government in Switzerland.

Information poster of the campaign "This is how we protect ourselves" (March 2020)

Notice board at a library (Taken in September 2020).

Course 2020

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.

Statistics

See also: COVID-19 pandemic/statistics (worldwide)

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.

Positive test results in relation to the number of tests in Switzerland

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 %).

Deaths in Switzerland by age group (deceased patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2)
Age	Hospitalized	Deaths	% of deaths
0-9 years	327	2	0,02 %
10-19 years	175	1	0,01 %
20-29 years	544	3	0,03 %
30-39 years	955	10	0,10 %
40-49 years	1'867	38	0,37 %
50-59 years	3'902	203	1,96 %
60-69 years	5'290	692	6,70 %
70-79 years	7'185	2'092	20,25 %
≥ 80 years	9'392	7'290	70,56 %

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

Statistics by canton (as of 14 April 2021)
Canton	Inhabitants	Cases	Dead
Canton of Zurich Zurich	1'539'275	101'432	1317
Canton of Bern Bern	1'039'474	58'605	1051
Canton VaudVaud	805'098	77'460	979
Canton Ticino Ticino	351'491	31'076	863
Canton Geneva Geneva	504'128	57'266	739
Canton St. Gallen St. Gallen	510'734	37'762	704
Canton Aargau Aargau	685'845	42'250	641
Canton Valais Valais	345'525	34'779	551
Canton Fribourg Fribourg	321'783	29'643	412
Canton Thurgau Thurgau	279'547	16'401	390
Canton of NeuchâtelNeuchâtel	176'496	15'825	318
Canton Lucerne Lucerne	413'120	24'995	309
Canton Solothurn Solothurn	275'247	15'785	264
Canton Basel-Landschaft Basel-Landschaft	289'468	15'858	215
Canton Schwyz Schwyz	160'480	10'554	207
Canton Basel-Stadt Basel-Stadt	195'844	11'639	201
Canton Grisons Grisons	199'021	12'139	177
Canton Zug Zug	127'642	7544	87
Canton Schaffhausen Schaffhausen	82'348	4204	67
Canton Appenzell AusserrhodenAppenzell Ausserrhoden	55'445	3471	63
Canton Glarus Glarus	40'590	2400	62
Canton Jura Jura	73'584	6354	58
Canton Uri Uri	36'703	2430	54
Canton Obwalden Obwalden	37'930	2000	45
Canton Nidwalden Nidwalden	43'087	2280	36
Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden	16'128	951	19
Total	8'606'033	625'103	9790