The unique coronavirus in Sweden has spread to over 17,500 individuals and eliminated more than 2,100, since Friday, according to the most recent figures from Johns Hopkins University. While cases continue to grow, the nation has taken the surprising path of not enforcing a nationwide lockdown.
Despite international derision over the choice, the researcher behind Sweden’s coronavirus technique declares the controversial move has worked as the increased variety of people exposed to the virus will hopefully assist prevent a second wave of infections.
The choice to not provide a lockdown “worked in some elements due to the fact that our health system has actually had the ability to cope,” Anders Tegnell, the chief state epidemiologist at Sweden’s public health company, told the BBC’s Radio Four’s Today program.
The nation has by far and away the greatest death toll amongst Scandinavian nations– more than double the number of cases in Denmark and almost 4 times as much as in Finland.
But Tegnell argues: “A minimum of 50 percent of our death toll is within senior houses and we have a difficult time understanding how a lockdown would stop the intro of disease.
” We currently had a law making it illegal for visitors to come to senior houses. They require constant care, they require a great deal of people reoccuring to take care of them.
” So it’s a bit unclear to us if a lockdown really would have stopped this from happening or not.”
Earlier today, Tegnell informed CNBC that the firm is “still really worried about the elderly. It’s the group we said we required to safeguard,” he stated, keeping in mind that the agency was dealing with various homes to see how the risk factor might be lowered.
Tegnell likewise declared approximately 20 percent of citizens in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, have actually been infected with the infection, keeping in mind “Our company believe that we have a resistance level, if I remember rightly, someplace in between 15-20 percent of the population in Stockholm.
” This is not total herd immunity however it will certainly impact the reproduction rate and decrease the spread (of a second wave),” he included.
Stockholm has reported nearly 15,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with at least 1,765 deaths, consisting of amongst really elderly citizens of assisted living home, according to the agency.
On Tuesday, a research study by Sweden’s public health agency predicted nearly a 3rd of Stockholm will have contracted the infection by early May, claiming the capital may have passed the peak of the outbreak.
According to the research study based on data from random screening and cases reported to health centers, around one third of Stockholm’s population of almost a million will be contaminated by May 1.
The agency’s research study recommended the rate of new infections in Stockholm peaked on April 15, while a decrease was not yet apparent from the information. The research study also estimated that for each confirmed case, there were around 999 milder cases not taped since people did not look for medical aid.
While Tegnell claims he is “fairly confident” in the existing battle technique, several health professionals in the nation have actually raised concerns over the relaxed technique, compared with other countries, consisting of Cecilia Soderberg-Naucler, a teacher of microbial pathogenesis at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
” My issue is things [the outbreak] are going too quick,” Soderberg-Naucler stated to Radio Sweden, noting that the country was too slow to react when the infection was very first brought to the country by citizens who took a trip to higher threat locations, consisting of to the Italian Alps and Iran.
An article released on March 27 and co-written by 2 public health teachers at Sweden’s Lund University, describes: “Like in numerous other countries, the spread of COVID-19 is rather irregular in Sweden.
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Last month, Stefan Hanson (another Swedish scholastic) and Claudia Hanson (a Swedish epidemiologist) co-wrote an op-ed in Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter paper, keeping in mind: “We see the scenario in Italy … and we are only a few weeks behind … we can’t give up! The U.K., which had the very same technique as Sweden, has actually now altered completely. It is Stefan Löfven’s [Swedish Prime Minister] duty to do the same in Sweden.”
When Newsweek contacted Sweden’s Ministry of Health and Social Affairs for additional comment on the latest situation of the outbreak in Sweden and the aforementioned letter co-written by several academics, a representative for the ministry informed Newsweek: “Regrettably the federal government will not have the ability to meet your request.”
Newsweek has gotten in touch with the Swedish Prime Minister’s Office, the Swedish Minister for European Union Affairs and the Swedish Medical Association for a comment.
Existing restrictions in Sweden consist of a ban on events of more than 50 people, while high schools and universities are closed and their courses are being taught online. Homeowners have actually been told to prevent unnecessary travel and the federal government supporters working from home, where possible, and preventing contact with the elderly.
But schools for those under 16 remain open, while residents are allowed to visit shops as normal and children can play outside. Restaurants, bars, coffee shops and bars have actually apparently been informed to offer seated table service only.
The unique coronavirus, which was very first identified Wuhan, China, has infected over 2.7 million individuals across the globe. Over 192,000 have actually passed away, while more than 751,500 have recovered, since Friday, according to the most recent figures from Johns Hopkins University.
The graphic below, supplied by Statista, highlights countries with the most verified COVID-19 cases.
Statista
World Health Organization advice for preventing spread of coronavirus illness (COVID-19)
Health guidance
- Clean hands regularly with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
Medical recommendations
- Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
Mask and glove use
- Healthy people just need to use a mask if taking care of a sick individual.
