Swiss resort St Moritz mass testing finds 53 COVID infections, 31 variant cases
People play hockey on the frozen Lake St Moritz as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in the Alpine resort of St Moritz, Switzerland, January 18, 2021. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
ZURICH:Mass COVID-19 testing of thousands of people in the Swiss resort of St Moritz where luxury hotels were placed under quarantine found 53 coronavirus infections, including 31 cases of a fast-spreading variant, local officials said on Thursday.
Authorities said about 3,200 people were tested this week, and that the 31 infections caused by viral variants were discovered among hotel employees, not guests at the two hotels placed under quarantine, Badrutt's Palace Hotel and the Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski.
St Moritz said it was lifting emergency measures that had been put in place to protect the community. The town of 5,200 people had closed local schools, shuttered ski schools and required masks be worn in all public areas, for fear mutant virus was spreading quickly.
"The mutated virus was found particularly in hotel employees and was not transmitted to hotel guests," officials with the canton of Grisons said in a statement.
"This shows that the hotels' protection concepts work and that employee testing is a sensible, effective measure."
Must-Watch Video
Stay updated with our news