Covid Scam Hits Basel; Baselland Fire; Fasnacht Plans Pondered

News For 15 December 2020

The police and public prosecutor's office of Basel have announced that they have received numerous complaints of fraudsters trying to exploit the Coronavirus situation. Apparently, people have been receiving phone calls from criminals pretending to be doctors treating a family member for Covid19, the disease caused by the Coronavirus. Typically, the fake doctor claims that with a large transfer of funds to the hospital the relative's life can be saved. The authorities are reminding people that the Swiss health insurance system which covers all necessary life saving treatment would never ask for a transfer of funds prior to providing it.  

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On Monday evening, a fire broke out in a car garage near an industrial area in Aesch, on Dornacherstrasse. Various eye witness testimonies indicate a large column of black smoke was rising from the building. The cause of the fire is still unknown, according to Adrian Gaugler, a spokesman for the Baselland Kantonal police. There were no hospitalizations, and only a member of the fire brigade required on-site treatment. 

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Despite the official cancellation of Basel Fasnacht last Thursday, the Fasnachtcomité, the official organizing authority of the 500 year old festival is still looking for ideas to preserve some sense of celebration.  There had been plans to move scaled down elements of the festival to the various neighborhoods in the city, in the hopes of reducing dense gatherings.  However, recent Coronavirus regulations mandated by the Federal and Cantonal government have made those plans unfeasible.  At the moment, the comité is hoping that at a minimum, a children's parade could still take place to preserve the Fasnacht tradition.