Coronavirus: relatively few medical staff infected in Switzerland

In Switzerland, around 3% of medical staff have been infected with Covid-19, based on data covering the period up until Easter, according to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health.

The highest rates of infection were among staff in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland, regions with Switzerland’s highest infection rates.

The low rate suggests the Swiss health system has the required material and equipment to protect staff, according to RTS.

It also suggests Swiss hospital staff have taken care to avoid infection outside work, according to Didier Pittet, an infectologist at Geneva’s HUG hospital.

In some countries medical staff have suffered heavily from the virus.

So far, more than 150 doctors in Italy have died after contracting Covid-19, the Italian Association of Doctors said last week. Healthcare professionals constitute 11% of all Italian infections. 

In the UK, the Guardian newspaper estimates at least 127 deaths among medical workers. In the UK an estimated 14% of cases are critical key workers in the NHS and other sectors.

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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now

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