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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the country’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said his country faces a “very serious situation” that requires tougher measures.
He said he was isolated Thursday after a person in his environment met a person who had been confirmed to have a coronavirus infection, COVID-19.
S. Lofven wrote on the social network Facebook that he isolated himself with his wife, would work from home and would try to do the test as soon as possible.
“This is the only responsible thing that can be done in this situation,” the prime minister said.
He also noted that “events are rapidly moving in the wrong direction.”
“It just came to our attention then. More people are dying. The situation is dire,” he said.
Stefan lofven
S. Lofven stated that he had no direct contact with the infected person, but a person in his environment had such contacts. Although tests for the latter showed no infection, the prime minister said he decided to listen to the doctor’s advice and isolate himself.
“We see that the situation is going in the wrong direction, the situation is very serious,” the prime minister told a news conference on Tuesday.
After the summer, when most European countries already thought they had the virus under control, the repeated rise of COVID-19 in Europe surprised the region. When the population calmed down and the air temperature dropped, the pandemic returned in force.
Mr Lofven warned that recent developments are putting a lot of pressure on the Swedish public health system, filling more and more intensive care beds.
“The brief respite we felt in the summer is over,” he said. “How we act now will determine which Christmas we can celebrate and who we can celebrate.”
He added that more and more people are being cared for in the intensive care unit, warning that there could be an increase in deaths.
According to Lena Hallengren, the country’s health minister, 1 in 5 patients treated in intensive care units is infected with COVID-19.
Avoiding quarantine
Since the start of the pandemic, Sweden has never introduced quarantine, relying more on voluntary social isolation. As a result, it recorded a higher number of infections and deaths than other countries in the Nordic region, but so far there are few signs that Sweden has developed herd immunity.
The number of new coronavir cases in Sweden jumped to a record 4,062 last Friday. On Tuesday, a total of 134,532 Swedes were infected with the virus and 5,969 people died.
Critics say Sweden’s strategy to fight the coronavirus is sloppy and reckless. Policy officials explain that such a strategy will pay off in the long term, arguing that the sudden quarantine is not a smart way to fight a virus that is likely to circulate for years to come.
But there are signs that the Swedish government is ready to take a tougher approach as winter approaches, which promises a lot of uncertainty.
Sweden’s chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said Tuesday that “in general, events are going in the wrong direction in many ways.” He added that “the main challenge now is to fundamentally limit close contact with family members.”
The latest Swedish measures are still presented as recommendations, which means that people do not face legal consequences if they ignore them. But Lofven emphasizes that this is not just “friendly general advice.”
“Everyone covered by these recommendations is expected to follow them around the clock, every day,” he said.
As of Tuesday, the Swedes in seven of Sweden’s 21 regions, accounting for about 70 percent. population, it will have:
Avoid physical contact with people who do not live under one roof.
Avoid closed spaces where gatherings can occur
Avoid parties, weddings, funerals and similar events
Employers must ensure that staff who can work from home do so
10.3 million more than 5,000 people died in a country with a population of people, fewer infections and deaths were reported between July and mid-October.
However, the number of daily infections has risen sharply again recently and the number of deaths has increased in recent days.
On Wednesday, Sweden reported 28 new COVID-19 related deaths. The total number of deaths on Thursday is likely to exceed 6,000. limit.
In neighboring Denmark, where the incidence of infections is also on the rise, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was isolated when the Justice Minister detected the coronavirus tests.
The prime minister’s initial test was negative, but her cabinet said Wednesday night that she would remain in isolation until the second test.
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