Swiss close schools, offer $10bn in business aid over virus

• The situation is difficult, but we have the means to overcome the challenges on the medical and the financial level.
• The government listed a range of measures to halt the spread of the virus after the small Alpine country saw its number of positive tests balloon.

GENEVA: Switzerland will close its schools in a bid to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, the government said Friday, adding that it would provide billions in aid to hard-hit businesses.

"The situation is difficult, but we have the means to overcome the challenges on the medical and the financial level," Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga told reporters.

The government listed a range of measures to halt the spread of the virus after the small Alpine country saw its number of positive tests balloon, soaring from around 850 cases registered on Thursday to 1,125 on Friday.

Seven people have died from the virus in Switzerland to date, health authorities said.

Bern said that all the country's schools would be closed until April 4.