The Corona hotspots in the canton

The reason that the mountain community of Oberägeri has the most cases of Corona infection is probably due to a Yodel Festival in Schwyz, which has since been identified as a infection hotspot. But there have also been noticeable increases in the number of cases in other municipalities during the second wave.

The course of the corona pandemic in the canton of Zug in the second wave is similar to that of the whole of Switzerland. Looking beyond the individual municipalities, however, there are some differences. This is shown by the latest data that the Canton of Zug has recently posted on its website.

According to this, the municipality of Oberägeri is the most affected in relation to the number of inhabitants. Looking both at the entire period of the pandemic and focusing on the second wave since September, the mountain community has the highest proportion of Covid-19 cases (see chart). From mid-February onwards, 3.35% of the Oberägeri population tested positive for Sars-Cov-2. In total, that was 209 people.

In particular, the timing and number of cases over time are impressive. The number of people from Oberägeri that tested positive per week had already risen significantly one to two weeks ahead of most other municipalities. The increase peaked In the week of 12^th October, with 46 new cases within a week. The following weeks were also in the high range, with 38 and 28 cases respectively, measured against the number of inhabitants.

Infection hotspots: a camp and the Yodel Festival in Schwyz
The significant increase in numbers is likely to have something to do with the now infamous yodel festival in Schwyz. Around 600 people attended a yodel musical there at the end of September, and, in the week of 12^th October, the hospital in Schwyz was filled with corona patients. As is told in Oberägeri, some people from Aegeri also attended the yodel festival, and then fell ill with Covid-19. A children's camp during the autumn holidays, during which several participants became infected, probably also contributed to the increase in cases.

Graph 1: Total cases of Corona infection in Zug by municipality
Graph 2: Course of the second wave for the most affected municipalities

Steinhausen has also had a proportionally higher number of cases than the other municipalities, at 3.05%. In relation to the population, the number of Covid-19 diseases increased significantly at the end of September, when 24 people tested positive for the corona virus within a week. After a short plateau, the curve rose two weeks later to the previous high of 43 cases within a week. In Baar, which is in third place with a share of 2.85%, the numbers in the second wave remained consistently high.

Four municipalities deviated from the cantonal trend in November
There was also a rise in several municipalities in mid-November. In the week of 16^th November, Menzingen, Risch and Walchwil reached their highest level. In Unterägeri, too, there was a high of 34 new cases this week, but for the second week in a row. Values were already declining at that time In the other municipalities, on the other hand.

There are no known reasons for the breakouts, except for those in Oberägeri. The Health Department of the Canton of Zug also does not know the reasons at the moment, as the communications officer Aurel Köpfli says. In October in particular, a location of the place of infection was no longer attempted, as the contact tracing was overloaded. And a detailed analysis has not yet been carried out. Köpfli also relativizes the significance of the figures:

"In a small community, a children’s camp with infected people can already have a major impact on the curve, while such an event triggers less of a change in a larger community."

In addition, the place where the infection occurred does not necessarily have to coincide with the place of residence where the case is registered. "Many go to work outside their community, or even outside the canton. And mobility in the canton of Zug has only declined slightly during the second wave."