More than 500 people have already died and thousands have been infected in a country whose population is similar to that of Israel. • How did one of the richest countries in Europe get trapped in the reel of infection?

• Doctors refer corona patients from mountain village in Switzerland // Photo: IP

The European continent has become the focus of the world's largest corona eruption over the past two weeks, with two-thirds of the deaths from the virus occurring in continental countries. While the larger and populated countries of the continent such as France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany struggle to stop the spread of the virus, the fate of the small countries remains largely in the media.

Switzerland is far from being one of the largest countries in Europe, with a population of eight million people, smaller than that of Israel, it is sometimes swallowed up by the flood of news produced by its larger neighbors, France, Germany and Italy. But these days, the corona eruption in the country has alarming dimensions.



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The state's health authorities today announced that the number of people now infected is 18,267 people and 505 people have already died as a result of the virus. This is incredible data for the population. In fact, with the exception of tiny countries such as the Vatican, San Marino, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, Switzerland ranks second in the world in the disease infection rate relative to its population, after Spain.

The large infection rate can also indicate a large number of tests, but the Swiss government decided early last month to stop testing people who are not at risk groups or showing mild symptoms. In addition, the high mortality rate, along with the burden on the local health system, indicates a rapid and surprising advance of the virus.

In the case of Switzerland, comparison with Israel is almost required. For similar population states, a Western health system and both had the first patient diagnosed on the exact same date, February 27. The Swiss government made a final decision to close unnecessary businesses for about a week after Israel and no decision was made to close as in neighboring Austria. Switzerland insisted on keeping its borders with Italy to the south open, due to the cultural proximity between Switzerland's Italian cantons and Italy.

Indeed, the most severely affected are the three Italian cantons in southern Switzerland, a confederation consisting of 26 cantons, autonomous provinces. The reason lies mainly with the free passage of people from northern Italy, one of the major centers of the Corona eruption in Europe.

It is hard to tell what Switzerland's actions caused the severe outbreak in the country, but it seems that only now the country's authorities are beginning to deal with the gravity of the situation. Local Interior Minister Elaine Barça today issued a gloomy forecast that the virus's severe effects will continue to hit the country at least by the end of the summer, if not beyond that.

At a press conference, the minister said: "Even when there is a decline in the number of infections, our weak ulcers will remain at risk and should be prepared for this.