Swiss may ban public events to prevent worsening Covid-19 situation

Switzerland plans to ban public events apart from church services and limit public gatherings due to the worsening of the Covid-19 situation.

Switzerland plans to ban all public events apart from church services and legislative meetings and further limit private gatherings after December 12, as it said on Tuesday that the Covid-19 situation was deteriorating as infections swell.

It is starting talks with the nation’s 26 cantons over the proposals, as it prepares for the new restrictions.

The announcement came as the Federal Office of Public Health reported 92 more deaths, taking the death toll in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein to 5,116. The number of cases rose by 4,262 cases to 358,568, it said.

The government also plans to order restaurants, shops and markets to close at 7 pm through January 20 in an effort to restrict the spread of the virus. It also aims to restrict the number of people who could meet in households to five.

“The number of new infections is high and is rising again, beds in intensive care units are stretched,” the government said. “The increasingly cold temperatures and bad weather may have accelerated the infection rate.”

After getting feedback from the cantons, the Swiss government plans to meet again on Friday, ahead of a decision on the new measures due to start at the weekend.

“The numbers are increasing exponentially - too quickly and too strongly. We want to reduce contact and the number of infections,” Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga said

“If we don’t act quickly enough, the worst of the pandemic is still to come,” she added. “Then, even more drastic measures will be needed.”

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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