First Covid-19 case confirmed in Switzerland

The case was found in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton on the border with Italy, the canton said on its website announcing a press conference for 1600 GMT.

Switzerland reported its first case of new coronavirus on Tuesday, after outbreaks were identified in its main neighbours Austria, France, Germany and Italy.

Tourists wearing protective face masks take smartphone photographs at Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, the worst affected European Country from novel coronavirus. Feb. 25, 2020. (Bloomberg)

“It’s confirmed,” a spokeswoman for Switzerland’s federal health office told AFP, adding that more details about the case would be released later on Tuesday.

The case was found in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton on the border with Italy, the canton said on its website announcing a press conference for 1600 GMT.

Switzerland on Monday had said the country was in a state of “heightened vigilance” because of a surge in Italy.

Prior to this case, the country had tested some 300 suspect cases that were all found to be negative.

The government said on Monday that it had stepped up testing on patients with flu-like symptoms and was working to raise awareness at all border points.