Die Weltwoche, quoting Swiss outlet 20 Minuten, reports that a diphtheria outbreak has occurred at the federal asylum center in Embrach, Zurich.
The outbreak reportedly began in the canton of Zurich last week. The first suspected case was detected at the Embrach federal asylum center and involved a hospitalized man from Somalia. Five other individuals have reportedly been placed in quarantine since. At the time of writing reports indicate the Somali patient no longer resides at the facility.
As a precaution, several hundred residents and staff members were tested on Monday, November 3rd. The cantonal medical service, the Zurich Department of Health, is now coordinating preventive measures.
Officials are expected to release further information soon, confirming whether additional cases have been detected.
Although recovery chances are generally good, diphtheria may cause serious complications and even death. For decades, it was believed that this highly contagious disease had been eradicated in Switzerland thanks to successful nationwide vaccination campaigns. Children in the region continue to receive routine diphtheria immunizations, which offer strong protection against severe infections.
