[ad_1]
By Reuters 
5h ago
ZURICH – Swiss police said Wednesday they are investigating 12 cases in which British tourists ignored quarantine orders intended to contain new variants of the COVID-19 virus after hundreds of compatriots are believed to have fled the country.
On December 21, the government ordered people who arrived from Britain and South Africa since December 14 to a 10-day quarantine, while temporarily halting flights, leading to some being stranded in resorts such as Verbier, a popular destination for British skiers.
They were supposed to stay indoors, away from other people.
The canton of Valais, where Verbier is located, sent 220 policemen to enforce the restrictions, including operations in which they checked selected tourists in quarantine.
“Of the 150 people who were checked into the holiday destinations, 138 guests consistently adhered to the quarantine,” Valais police said. “Currently 12 cases are being investigated in which tourists had already left the canton.”
However, much more than a dozen remain. Hundreds of Britons have fled the quarantine in Verbier, and the Health Minister attributed the exodus to an “impossible situation”.
At least seven people in Switzerland have been detected with the mutant virus, five with the British version and two with a version detected in South Africa.
Two variants were identified for the first time in Great Britain and South Africa.
The punishment that British tourists, some of whom own holiday properties in Switzerland, could face in Valais is unclear, although laws governing “dangerous diseases” could mean quarantine offenders are fined up to 10,000. Swiss francs ($ 11,330).
Switzerland is sticking to a “shutdown light”, closing restaurants but leaving ski areas open, as it balances health considerations with the economy.
REUTERS
[ad_2]
