President Donald Trump said Sweden is ‘paying heavily’ for not enforcing a coronavirus lockdown as deaths in the Scandinavian nation are on the rise.
Schools, restaurants and hair salons across Sweden have remained open amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected upwards of 3.2million people globally.
The World Health Organisation yesterday praised the Scandinavian country as a ‘model’ in the fight against the virus, claiming there are ‘lessons to be learned’ from the nation’s response.
Dr Mike Ryan, an emergencies expert at WHO, said: ‘I think there’s a perception out that Sweden has not put in control measures and just has allowed the disease to spread, nothing can be further from the truth.’
But Trump claimed Sweden paid the price for its response, writing in a tweet this afternoon: ‘Despite reports to the contrary, Sweden is paying heavily for its decision not to lockdown.
President Donald Trump (pictured) said Sweden is ‘paying heavily’ for not enforcing a coronavirus lockdown as deaths in the Scandinavian nation continue to rise
But Trump has questioned the country’s response, writing in a tweet this afternoon: ‘Despite reports to the contrary, Sweden is paying heavily for its decision not to lockdown’
‘As of today, 2462 people have died there, a much higher number than the neighbouring countries of Norway (207), Finland (206) or Denmark (443).
‘The United States made the correct decision!’
Following Trump’s comments, Sweden announced its second-highest jump in cases with 790 new infections – at a time when much of Europe is seeing a slowdown in numbers.
The rise from 20,302 cases to 21,092 came alongside 124 more deaths, bringing the total from 2,462 to 2,586.
The US has recorded more than one million cases, with some 66,000 deaths due to the virus reported.
But Sweden has a higher daily death rate than the US per million people, according to recent data, today recording 7.43 against 6.12.
People sit outdoors in a park in Stockholm last weekend, enjoying a freedom to go outside which has been heavily restricted in most of Europe
A nurse wearing protective clothing and a face mask looks at blood on an oxygenation machine as she attends to a patient at a hospital near Stockholm earlier this month
However, data also shows the US has a significantly higher number of daily infections per million. It today reported 82.36 infections per million against Sweden’s 67.43.
Sweden’s neighbours have recorded a lower number of coronavirus deaths, with 443 confirmed in Denmark amid 9,158 cases – a difference not adequately explained by the size of their populations.
Denmark has already sent children back to primary schools and re-opened some businesses including hair salons and driving schools.
Finland, which declared a state of emergency on March 16 and shut down schools, restaurants and bars on April 1, currently has 4,995 cases of the virus, with Norway reporting 7,710.
Sweden’s 790 new cases today are its second worst-leap so far, after a rise of 812 was recorded last Friday.
The daily number of cases in Sweden, shown on this graph, was back up to 790 today – the second highest on record, after last Friday’s 812
This chart shows the daily number of deaths, which has been heavily affected by delays in reporting weekend cases. Today’s figure is 124 new deaths
Although Sweden’s figures have been very susceptible to rogue numbers caused by weekend delays, official figures show that 774 new positive tests did actually occur yesterday.
The nation, despite not having enforced the strict lockdown adopted by the majority of Europe, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people, closed high schools and universities and asked those in at-risk groups to self-isolate.
However, schools for younger children, some restaurants and many businesses have remained open to customers.
Dr Ryan added: ‘What [Sweden] has done differently is it has very much relied on its relationship with its citizenry and the ability and willingness of its citizens to implement self-distancing and self-regulate.’