Coronavirus: Friday bulletin on case numbers in Basel-Stadt

As of Friday, 7 May 2021, 11.50, the Department of Health Basel-Stadt had recorded a total of 12,293 positive cases among people living in the Canton of Basel-Stadt since the start of the pandemic, 393 active cases in isolation and 795 people in quarantine. The 7-day notification rate per 100,000 residents is 152 (CH: 117), the 14-day notification rate is 324 (CH: 269). In total 63,316 vaccination doses have so far been administered in Basel-Stadt. 20,049 people have been fully vaccinated with the first and second vaccination. The Cantonal Laboratory of Basel-Stadt is currently conducting a pilot study in which waste water is examined for coronaviruses. The first results are available: 13 of 20 samples were positive.

Occurrence of infection in the Canton of Basel-Stadt: Of the 393 active cases, 31 residents of the Canton of Basel-Stadt are in hospital. In addition, 19 people from outside the canton or abroad are being treated in hospital in the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Of the total of 50 people in hospital, ten require intensive care.

The total of 12,293 cases of infection in the Canton of Basel-Stadt since the start of the pandemic consists of 11,701 recoveries, 199 deaths and 393 active cases. There have been 138 new cases of infection since the last bulletin on Sunday, 04 April 2021. No further people have died of the consequences of Covid-19.

Current status of vaccinations

As of yesterday Thursday, 6 May 2021, a total of 63,316 vaccinations have so far been administered in the vaccination centre and by the mobile units in the Canton of Basel-Stadt. 20,049 people have been fully vaccinated with the first and second vaccination. Priority vaccination days for healthcare workers who have contact with patients (vaccination group 2b) will again be held on the weekend of 8 and 9 May 2021.

44,866 people have pre-registered for vaccination. In addition, a further 31,245 people have a pre-arranged vaccination appointment at the vaccination centre. It was possible to allocate around 9,100 new vaccination appointments during the past week (01 to 07/05) and around 7,500 vaccinations were administered in Basel-Stadt during the same period.

The current situation in Basel schools

Primary schools and nurseries (total of 12,814 pupils and 1,906 teachers)

• 156 pupils in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 1.2 percent.
• 22 teachers in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 1.2 percent.

Secondary schools (total of 4,343 pupils and 650 teachers)

• 55 pupils in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 1.3 percent.
• 3 teachers in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 0.5 percent.

Higher secondary schools and vocational colleges (total of 7,400 pupils and 1,170 teachers)

• 67 pupils in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 0.9 percent.
• 1 teacher in quarantine or self-isolation, corresponding to 0.1 percent.

Waste water samples in the Canton of Basel-Stadt

The Canton of Basel-Stadt is currently conducting a pilot study in which waste water is sampled and tested for SARS-CoV-2. The samples are taken from 20 points in the sewerage system of the urban area. The first results are now available: 13 of the 20 points in the sewerage system tested positive, i.e. coronaviruses were detected in the waste water. The pilot study is being conducted as part of another investigation, whose sampling will be used in order to apply them simultaneously to detection of coronaviruses in the waste water. The pilot study will continue throughout the month of May. Samples from a sewage treatment plant (ProRheno) will also be analysed during a second run. The Cantonal Laboratory of Basel-Stadt is conducting the pilot study. The study is being financed by the Canton of Basel-Stadt, after federal research funding was declined. The Department of Health will provide information about the results and any continuation as soon as the pilot study is concluded.

Please note:

Case numbers continue to be updated every day on the website www.coronavirus.bs.ch. The latest vaccination figures can be found on the Basel-Sthttps://data.bs.ch/explore/dataset/100111/table/?sort=datumadt data portal.