Sweden now has more coronavirus patients in hospital than at any stage of the pandemic, as Anders Tegnell, the anti-lockdown expert, admits: ‘We are at the limit’
- Sweden has faced controversy by never setting up a sort of closure in Europe
- The latest data shows 17,395 new coronavirus cases since Friday
- According to figures, December 17 was the deadliest day since the start of the 116-death pandemic in Covid, surpassing a previous peak of 115 daily deaths that occurred in April.
Sweden has registered 17,395 new cases of coronavirus since Friday, taking the total of more than 500,000 cases since the start of the pandemic.
Healthy Agency statistics mean that the country now has more coronavirus patients in hospital than at any stage of the pandemic, as hospitals are struggling to cope with a turbulent second wave of the virus.
Sweden has made headlines worldwide by never imposing the kind of closure seen elsewhere in Europe, but has begun tightening measures in recent months.
The figures show that December 17 was the deadliest day since the start of the pandemic, with 116 deaths, surpassing a previous peak of 115 daily deaths that occurred in April.
While Sweden still has about 20 percent remaining capacity at intensive care units, there are concerns that the spread will accelerate again as people return to work and schools after the holidays.
“It is clear that the health care system is now just as tense (as it was during the spring),” chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, the architect of an unorthodox pandemic strategy, who avoided closures, told a news conference.
“We are close to the limit for what the healthcare system can handle.”
On Friday, Sweden’s parliament approved a pandemic law giving the government new powers to curb the spread of Covid in a country that has so far relied on mostly non-coercive measures.
The new law, which went into effect Sunday, allows the government to close businesses, shopping malls or public transportation.
Under the new law, the government has authority to block public transport. In the photo: Passengers with face masks leave a commuter train at Malmo Central in Malmö
The government can also place restrictions on the number of people allowed in specific public places, rather than general restrictions on public gatherings.
In most cases, violations of the new restrictions will result in a fine, which was not previously possible.
Unlike many other countries, Sweden does not have legislation that allows the government to close society in peacetime.
A ban on public gatherings of more than eight people went into effect in November and a recommendation on the use of face masks on public transport went into effect on Thursday.
The special pandemic law, which is in force until September, was first planned to take effect in March, but it was moved to January.
The country with 10 million inhabitants has registered 234 new deaths since Friday, taking the total to 9,667.
The registered deaths occurred over several days and weeks, and much of the Christmas season was registered with a significant delay.
The second wave also affected how Sweden experienced the authorities’ handling of the crisis.
In December, 47 per cent said they had relatively high or high confidence in the actions of government and agencies, up from 52 per cent in the previous month.
Sweden’s death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbors, but lower than several European countries that have chosen to lock up.