World News – CA – Second wave of COVID ‘crushing’ floods Swiss hospitals

By Cecile Mantovani GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss hospitals are struggling to cope with an increase in the number of new COVID-19 patients, bringing in retired staff to replace sick frontline workers and shutting down other services as Officials warn they could reach breaking point in about 10 days The number of cases in Switzerland reached record levels this month, with infection rates far exceeding those in neighboring countries Germany and the Italy The government is expected to announce new measures on Wednesday, but has been criticized by doctors and scientists for being too reluctant to impose tough rules nationwide At the Geneva University Hospital (HUG), in one of the most affected cantons, cases have multiplied by more than six in three weeks to reach 350 patients "Everyone was expecting a second wave, but no one at my knowledge never expected her to be so savage and so severe, "Director Bertrand Levrat told Reuters "Today this wave is likely to be bigger, possibly much bigger than the first wave," he said, describing a tense situation with exhausted doctors and more than 400 COVID infections among staff. To cope, his facility is cutting elective surgeries, transferring patients to private clinics, and brought in retired workers even though they would be in the age group most vulnerable to the virus Nationwide, about one thirds of intensive care units remain available but will be filled in the next ten days if the current infection rate persists, government delegate for coordinated medical services Andreas Stettbacher said on Tuesday Similar warnings were issued earlier this year during the first outbreak, but hospitals, backed by army reservists, largely coped and many had standby capacity The situation is different this time around, say doctors Marie Assouline Reinmann, doctor at HUG, fears that complacency and skepticism about the restrictions will lead to an increase in the number of infections "I'm afraid people are taking the situation less seriously and that it is getting worse and worse here in the hospital ", she said "I would like people to realize that this second wave is here and that it is already overwhelming us." Confirmed cases in Switzerland and neighboring Liechtenstein have passed 127,000, with death toll exceeding 1,900 (Additional reporting by Silke Koltrowitz; Writing by Emma Farge; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

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GENEVA (Reuters) – Swiss hospitals scramble to deal with spike in new COVID-19 patients, leading retired staff to replace sick frontline workers and shut down others services as officials warn they could hit breaking point in about 10 days

The number of cases in Switzerland reached record levels this month, with infection rates far higher than those in neighboring countries Germany and Italy

The government is expected to announce new measures on Wednesday, but has been criticized by doctors and scientists for being too reluctant to impose tough rules nationwide

At the University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), in one of the most affected cantons, cases have multiplied by more than six in three weeks to reach 350 patients

« Everyone expected a second wave, but no one I know of expected it to be so wild and harsh, » Director Bertrand Levrat told Reuters

« Today this wave will likely be bigger, possibly much bigger than the first wave, » he said, describing a tense situation with exhausted doctors and more than 400 COVID infections among the personal

To cope, his facility is eliminating elective surgeries, transferring patients to private clinics, and calling in retired workers even though they would be in the age group most vulnerable to the virus

Nationwide, around a third of intensive care units remain available but will be filled within the next ten days if the current infection rate persists, government delegate for coordinated medical services Andreas Stettbacher said on Tuesday.

Similar warnings were issued earlier this year during the first outbreak, but hospitals, backed by army reservists, were largely resistant and many had standby capacity.

Marie Assouline Reinmann, doctor at HUG, fears that complacency and skepticism about the restrictions could lead to an increase in the number of infections

« I am afraid that people are taking the situation less seriously and that it is getting worse and worse here at the hospital, » she said

« I wish people would realize that this second wave is here and is already overwhelming us »

Confirmed cases in Switzerland and neighboring Liechtenstein have surpassed 127,000, with the death toll exceeding 1,900