Sweden extends COVID-19 restrictions by 2 weeks

The Swedish government said on Thursday that the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 will be extended by at least two weeks, reported Xinhua.

The decision was announced when the country was seeing a surge in new coronavirus infections and several regions reporting mounting pressure on the intensive care units.

"Everyone wants a date for when life will return to normal, but it all depends on how well we are following the advice right now," Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said at a press conference.

Lofven said the restrictions, which would have expired on May 3, will not be eased until May 17 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Minister for Social Affairs Lena Hallengren said that the government has not ruled out tighter restrictions.

"If it does not get better, we may have to take further action," Hallengren said.

Some 798 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants have been confirmed in the last 14 days, according to the latest statistics of the Public Health Agency. The rate is higher than in any other country in the European Union.

Pressure on Sweden's intensive care units has also been growing lately with many regions reporting that they are running at nearly full capacity.