Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
New Covid-19 cases exceed 1,000
For the first time since October 2020, daily coronavirus cases in Switzerland topped the 1,000 mark — 1,059 new infections were reported on Tuesday by the Federal Office of Public Health.
Nearly all contaminations in Switzerland — 99.4 percent —are caused by the Delta variant.
However, despite the increase in cases, the number of Covid-related hospital admissions remains relatively low and healthcare facilities are not at risk of being saturated at the moment, according to FOPH.
READ MORE: Why are Switzerland’s Covid rates on the rise once again?
New finding: Covid patients are now younger and more overweight
Coronavirus patients placed in intensive care units in Switzerland during the third wave were younger than those in previous two outbreaks. They were also more often overweight, according to a new study from the University Hospital of Zurich (USZ), published in the latest issue of Swiss Medical Weekly.
"The differences in the third wave probably depend largely on the vaccination campaign", said Matthias Hilty, lead author of the study.
The reason for this finding is that “vaccinated elderly people are protected from serious forms of the disease”, and develop it much less frequently and severely than younger people who have not been inoculated, he said.
Swiss tourists warned about heatwave in the Mediterranean
A “historic heat wave” is expected over the next days in certain popular holiday destinations, including Italy, where temperatures could reach 50 degrees.
Martin Röösli of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute advises against partying in the Mediterranean this summer. "Drinking alcohol at the beach is a bad idea right now," he said. “With such heat, the body is already stressed enough by sweating and trying to lower its temperature. Alcohol is an additional stress factor on the body”.
And on the mind as well.
Thomas Müller, medical director at a clinic in Meiringen (BE), says people with severe mental illness should not spend their holidays in a scorching country, as “strong heat can cause psychotic attacks”. He recommends that those suffering from depression stay at home.
Zurich OpenAir 2021 festival is cancelled
The popular music festival, scheduled to take place from August 25th to August 28th, will no longer take place.
“Strict travel rules for the artists and the entirely canceled tours have affected the schedule so much that there is no chance of putting together a line-up that meets the quality standards in such a short time”, the organisers said.
Tickets that were already purchased will be refunded. Next year’s Zurich OpenAir will be held August 24th-27th, Covid permitting.
CBD oils recalled in Zurich
Two CBD (cannabidiol) oils are recalled because they are too …um…high in THC, the active substance in cannabis. Zurich medical authorities do not exclude a health risk for one of these products, the oil called "Dolocan Organic CBD-Oil 10% / 20% / 30%".
As a result, ir manufacturer, Canway Schweiz GmbH, recommends not consuming these oils and bringing or sending them back for a refund.
Earlier, Heidi’s Garden, based in Mönchaltorf (ZH), recalled its CBD oil “Heidi’s Natural Secret”, after a cantonal laboratory found that that the product exceeded the maximum THC content allowed in Switzerland (1percent).
READ MORE: Reader question: Under what conditions can I return a purchase to a store in Switzerland?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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New Covid-19 cases exceed 1,000
For the first time since October 2020, daily coronavirus cases in Switzerland topped the 1,000 mark — 1,059 new infections were reported on Tuesday by the Federal Office of Public Health.
Nearly all contaminations in Switzerland — 99.4 percent —are caused by the Delta variant.
However, despite the increase in cases, the number of Covid-related hospital admissions remains relatively low and healthcare facilities are not at risk of being saturated at the moment, according to FOPH.
READ MORE: Why are Switzerland’s Covid rates on the rise once again?
New finding: Covid patients are now younger and more overweight
Coronavirus patients placed in intensive care units in Switzerland during the third wave were younger than those in previous two outbreaks. They were also more often overweight, according to a new study from the University Hospital of Zurich (USZ), published in the latest issue of Swiss Medical Weekly.
"The differences in the third wave probably depend largely on the vaccination campaign", said Matthias Hilty, lead author of the study.
The reason for this finding is that “vaccinated elderly people are protected from serious forms of the disease”, and develop it much less frequently and severely than younger people who have not been inoculated, he said.
Swiss tourists warned about heatwave in the Mediterranean
A “historic heat wave” is expected over the next days in certain popular holiday destinations, including Italy, where temperatures could reach 50 degrees.
Martin Röösli of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute advises against partying in the Mediterranean this summer. "Drinking alcohol at the beach is a bad idea right now," he said. “With such heat, the body is already stressed enough by sweating and trying to lower its temperature. Alcohol is an additional stress factor on the body”.
And on the mind as well.
Thomas Müller, medical director at a clinic in Meiringen (BE), says people with severe mental illness should not spend their holidays in a scorching country, as “strong heat can cause psychotic attacks”. He recommends that those suffering from depression stay at home.
Zurich OpenAir 2021 festival is cancelled
The popular music festival, scheduled to take place from August 25th to August 28th, will no longer take place.
“Strict travel rules for the artists and the entirely canceled tours have affected the schedule so much that there is no chance of putting together a line-up that meets the quality standards in such a short time”, the organisers said.
Tickets that were already purchased will be refunded. Next year’s Zurich OpenAir will be held August 24th-27th, Covid permitting.
CBD oils recalled in Zurich
Two CBD (cannabidiol) oils are recalled because they are too …um…high in THC, the active substance in cannabis. Zurich medical authorities do not exclude a health risk for one of these products, the oil called "Dolocan Organic CBD-Oil 10% / 20% / 30%".
As a result, ir manufacturer, Canway Schweiz GmbH, recommends not consuming these oils and bringing or sending them back for a refund.
Earlier, Heidi’s Garden, based in Mönchaltorf (ZH), recalled its CBD oil “Heidi’s Natural Secret”, after a cantonal laboratory found that that the product exceeded the maximum THC content allowed in Switzerland (1percent).
READ MORE: Reader question: Under what conditions can I return a purchase to a store in Switzerland?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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