Some 200 British holidaymakers, forced to respect a ten-day quarantine in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier, fled clandestinely in favor of the night. That's what d ...

Covid-19: Britons in quarantine in Swiss ski resort flee

Around 200 British holidaymakers have been hit by the quarantine measures imposed by the Swiss government on travelers who have come from Britain since December 14 while at the ski resort of Verbier.

Fabrice COFFRINI AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

Some 200 British holidaymakers, forced to respect a ten-day quarantine in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier, fled clandestinely in favor of the night.

This is what the municipality said this Sunday, December 27.

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Around 200 British holidaymakers, out of some 420 in total, have been stricken in Verbier by the quarantine measures imposed by the Swiss government on travelers coming from Britain since December 14.

They then took to the chase, the

SonntagsZeitung

newspaper reported

The

upscale resort of Verbier

, popular with British customers, was hoping to welcome thousands of skiers from Great Britain, but the discovery of the British variant of the new coronavirus has shattered those hopes.

Some British tourists staying in Verbier left immediately, but others decided to stay a little longer, explained the communications officer for the municipality of Bagnes, Jean-Marc Sandoz.

Many remained in quarantine for a day before fleeing in favor of the night, he told the ATS news agency.

Quarantined in a hotel room

It was when they saw that the meal trays remained intact that the hoteliers noticed that the customers had left,

" said Jean-Marc Sandoz.

“

We can't blame them.
In most cases the quarantine was untenable.
Imagine staying at four in a hotel room of 20 square meters

, ”said the communications officer of the municipality of Bagnes.

The tourists left "

a little angry with Switzerland

" and with the feeling of having been "

trapped

", said Jean-Marc Sandoz.

British tourists normally represent 21% of the clientele of this Valais resort, voted the best ski resort in Switzerland for the past two years.

Two cases of the new British variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Switzerland, and one in neighboring Liechtenstein, the Swiss Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

Two cases of the South African variant have also been reported.

►

To read: United Kingdom: the new variant of Covid-19 would be more contagious but not more dangerous

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Covid-19: Britons in quarantine in Swiss ski resort flee

Covid-19: Britons in quarantine in Swiss ski resort flee

Quarantined in a hotel room

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