VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Switzerland will start gradually relaxing from Apr 27 the drastic restrictions it brought in last month, to tackle the spread of the new coronavirus, the government said on Thursday, Apr 16. Hospitals will be allowed to perform all procedures, even elective surgeries, while hair salons, massage parlours and cosmetic studies will be allowed to reopen. This will be followed by compulsory schools, shops and markets from May 11, it added. In a third stage it will reopen secondary schools, vocational schools and universities from June 8.

"The spread of the coronavirus was slowed, and our hospitals are not stretched to the limit," Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga told a news conference.

Switzerland's death toll from the COVID-19 respiratory disease the virus causes has risen past 1,000, with nearly 27,000 people testing positive. The rate of infections has slowed in recent days, while the government has come under increasing pressure to reopen businesses which have struggled during the shutdown//Reuters