Wave of illness sweeps through the country Corona on the rise - but another virus is also suddenly everywhere

Colds and coughs are currently very common in Switzerland. This also has to do with corona - but not only.

In the middle of summer, many Swiss people are suddenly ill. Whether in the office or on vacation: More and more sneezes and coughs can be heard.

One of the reasons is the coronavirus. As the FOPH said in response to an inquiry from blue News, the number of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases has risen by around 50 percent in the last four weeks. There are two main reasons for the increase, says spokesperson Simon Ming. "One is that the immunity acquired through previous infections decreases over time. The second reason is the new virus variants KP.2/KP.3, which have new mutations that enable them to better bypass existing immune defenses."

However, no one knows how many people are actually infected. As coronavirus tests are being used less and less, the number of unreported cases is likely to be relatively high.

Another virus surprisingly active

Nevertheless, the new variants do not show a more severe course of the disease than previous Omikron variants. "The number of hospitalizations is still very low," says Ming.

However, it is not just the coronavirus that is on the rise. "Rhinoviruses are currently very active," says Ming. "We suspect that they are responsible for a significant proportion of current respiratory diseases."

As pathogens, rhinoviruses are mainly responsible for colds and flus. A cold usually subsides on its own after one to two weeks. The exception is coughs, which can last up to three weeks.

Rhinoviruses are currently on the rise and the infection rate is at a high level compared to previous summers. Normally, cold infections are more common in the cold season.

Ming recommends following the usual precautionary measures. These include washing your hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into a handkerchief or the crook of your arm, wearing a mask if necessary, avoiding contact with people who are particularly at risk if you have cold symptoms and - most importantly - staying at home if you are ill.