MAP: Just how full are Switzerland's intensive care units in each canton?

Rising case numbers across Switzerland

On Thursday, Switzerland topped 10,000 infections nationwide for the first time since the start of the pandemic. 

With 10,128 infections in the 24 hours to Thursday, Switzerland hit its highest one-day total. Weekend totals have been higher, however this is for multiple days 

In addition to the infection count, 399 people were admitted to hospital while 62 people died. 

Hospital numbers the key factor 

While case numbers often attract the headlines, authorities pay the most attention to hospitalisation numbers to see how deadly the virus is in the community. 

Fortunately, despite mounting infection rates, Switzerland has still avoided the highs of March and April. 

Despite this however, Swiss authorities are concerned about rising hospitalisation rates. 

From an average of 30 hospitalisations per day in the first week of October, hospitalisation rates have averaged more than 140 per day over the past seven days. 

Martin Ackermann, head of the federal coronavirus task force, said on Thursday “if things continue like this, the hospitals will be full in around two weeks."

Ackerman said only the public’s adherence to the country’s coronavirus measures could stop hospital beds being completely exhausted. 

“The hospitals will exceed their capacity limits. But with the measures we can shorten this phase in November and December. "

Intensive care beds could become critical

The true impact of the pandemic has been laid bare in Switzerland’s intensive care units, many of which are already nearing capacity. 

The figures show the total number of ICU beds in each canton, along with how many are in use and how many are free. 

As reported by Watson, several cantons only have one or two intensive care beds left - while in Aargau the capacity of 54 is already exhausted. 

At the other end of the spectrum, Basel Country has the highest percentage of free beds (12 beds free from 32) while Zurich has the highest raw number of free beds (106 free beds)

Note: No figures were available for Appenzell Innerrhoden or Obwalden. 

The in-use beds include patients being treated for coronavirus and non-coronavirus-related conditions. 

Overall totals by canton

Aargau 54 of 54 beds in use (100%)

Appenzell Ausserrhoden 6 of 9 beds in use (66.67%)

Appenzell Innerrhoden No Data

Basel-Country 20 of 32 beds in use (62.5%)

Basel-City 54 from 66 beds in use (81.82%)

Bern 113 of 139 beds in use (81.29%)

Fribourg 24 of 25 beds in use (96%)

 

Genève 53 of 62 beds in use (85.48%)

Glarus 6 of 8 beds in use (75%)

Graubünden 20 of 26 beds in use (76.92%)

Jura 8 of 9 beds in use (88.89%)

Lucerne 67 of 95 beds in use (70.53%)

Neuchâtel 20 of 24 beds in use (83.33%)

Nidwalden 6 of 9 beds in use (66.67%)

Obwalden No Data

St Gallen 60 of 71 beds in use (84.51%)

Schaffhausen 8 of 10 beds in use (80%)

Schwyz 12 of 3 beds in use (80%)

Solothurn 25 of 5 beds in use (83.33%)

Thurgau 31 of 38 beds in use (81.58%)

Ticino 67 of 93 beds in use (72.04%)

Uri 6 of 8 beds in use (75%)

Valais 33 of 39 beds in use (84.62%)

Vaud 129 of 151 beds in use (85.43%)

Zug 8 of 10 beds in use (80%)

Zürich 328 of 434 beds in use (75.58%)