One person in the canton of Geneva and two in the canton of Graubünden recently tested positive for the new coronavirus Covid-19, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced this morning.

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All three, who are in good health, are being treated in hospital isolation units. These three new cases bring the total number of people testing positive for the virus to four. The tests confirming infection were carried out by the National Reference Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases in Geneva.

The infected person in Geneva is a 28 year old IT worker who returned from the Fashion Week event in Milan a few days ago, according to RTS. He is in an isolation unit at Geneva University Hospital (HUG). Both individuals in the canton of Graubünden are also in isolation at a hospital in the canton.

People who have been in close contact with the infected people have been notified and placed in quarantine for 14 days, according to FOPH.

“In view of the rising number of confirmed cases around the world, and particularly in northern Italy, it is likely that further cases will occur in Switzerland. The medical services are well prepared to identify and deal with suspected cases and treat further patients”, said FOPH.

Over the last week, Italy has jumped from a handful of cases to 528 cases (4pm on 27 February 2020). Italy now trails only China, South Korea and the Diamond Princess cruise ship for the number of recorded cases of infection.

A webpage showing the number of cases around the world can be viewed here.

A hotline has been set up and a campaign explaining hygiene measures will be launched soon. The hotline (+41 58 463 00 00) is open daily from 8am until 6pm.

FOPH recommends regular hand washing with soap and water or hand sanitiser. In addition, it recommends sneezing into a paper tissue or the crook of your arm – sneezing into your hands risks spreading the virus. If you think you might have caught the virus, contact your doctor, first by phone.

More on this:

FOPH press release (in English)

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

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