ZURICH: Coronavirus infections rose by 5,625 in a day, data from Swiss health authorities showed on Wednesday (Dec 16), amid calls from a senior government adviser this week to impose an immediate lockdown.

The total number of confirmed cases in Switzerland and neighbouring principality Liechtenstein increased to 394,453, while the death toll rose by 89 to 5,781 and 241 new hospitalisations kept pressure on the health care system.