Coronavirus: Switzerland quarantines 300 after ‘superspreader’ causes outbreak at nightclub

Zurich health authority threatens club closures in event of more outbreaks

300 guests and staff at a nightclub in Zurich have been ordered to quarantine after a "superspreader" who visited the club tested positive for coronavirus several days later (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Officials in Switzerland have ordered 300 people into quarantine after a so-called “superspreader” was found at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak at a Zurich nightclub.

The authorities said in a statement that a man who had visited the Flamingo Club a week ago tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday. Five other people who were with him at the club also tested positive and reported to authorities on Friday.

The club provided a list of guests and staff who were there and Swiss officials were able to get in touch with them and order them into quarantine on Saturday for 10 days.

According to the country’s health department, the incident showed the importance of complying with social distancing and personal hygiene rules put in place to prevent further spreading of the virus.

Any uptick in super spreader events in clubs may result in the closure of such facilities again, added the department.

Switzerland has drastically reduced the number of new coronavirus infections in recent weeks, and is now seeing a slight uptick as it eases restrictions and restarts the economy.

As of Sunday, health officials reported 69 new cases overnight from Friday to Saturday for a total of 31,555 cases, and 1,681 people have died.

Reporting by AP