Swiss health minister says ‘too early’ to ease anti-virus curbs

It is too early to consider easing measures that restrict the spread of the coronavirus, Switzerland’s health minister said on Monday, even as neighboring Austria sketched out plans to start loosening a national lockdown.

The Swiss death toll rose on Monday to 584 from 559 people on Sunday, while the number of positive tests increased to 21,652 from 21,100 on Sunday, a less steep rise than of late, Reuters reports.

“Of course we look at the others but we decide for ourselves,” Health Minister Alain Berset told reporters. Switzerland will use epidemiological data to decide when it might start easing up on measures, which include closing schools, bars and restaurants and a ban on gatherings of more than five people. The curbs were set to run until April 19.

Infections were still rising in Switzerland, which had not yet seen peak cases of Covid-19 caused by the new virus, Berset said. The cabinet is set to meet twice before April 19, so has time to gauge the situation before adopting any measures as in Austria, which has fewer infections.