Sweden tightens border controls as COVID-19 cases surge

Nearly 3,000 people have been turned away at the Swedish-Danish border in the first week after Sweden introduced an entry ban from neighboring Denmark, reported Xinhua, quoting Swedish Television on Tuesday.

Most were stopped while trying to cross the Oresund bridge by car from Denmark to southern Sweden and long queues have formed on the bridge, where so far over 200 people have been told to return to Denmark per day. Normally, border police reject around 100 people per week, according to the report.

"We urge travelers not to try to enter Sweden unless they absolutely have to. The border police are under a lot of strain and anyone trying to cross risks waiting in a long queue only to be told they have to turn back," Anders Wiberg, head of the police unit in southern Sweden in charge of handling the entry ban, told the Swedish Television.

As of Dec. 22, Sweden has barred travelers from both Denmark and the UK after the countries reported cases of a new and more infectious variant of the coronavirus that was reported in the UK.

The entry ban for travellers from Denmark and the UK will be in place at least until Jan. 21, but Swedish citizens are exempt, as are those living or working in Sweden as well as those involved in the transport of goods.

Sweden confirmed 205 COVID-19 related deaths between Dec. 23 and Dec. 29, bringing the total number of fatalities to 8,484. However, state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell Tuesday told a news conference that the figure is expected to rise since there has been a lag in record over the Christmas break.

A total of 338 COVID-19 patients were admitted to ICUs in Sweden during the period.