DEATH SURGE
Sweden records highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day as total hits 1,203 after country refused to lockdown
SWEDEN has recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day after refusing to lockdown like the rest of Europe.
The Scandinavian country's death toll hit 1,203 with a record 170 fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.
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Sweden averages 94 deaths per day and is the only European country that has not gone into lockdown.
Bars, schools, restaurants, and shops remain open as the virus spreads across Stockholm, accounting for almost half of Swedish cases.
Swedes are still able to hold large scale gatherings like weddings and parties.
Its leaders have come under criticism from the scientific and medical community, both nationally and internationally, for refusing to lockdown.
A group of 22 doctors, virologists and researchers criticised the Public Health Agency in an op-ed published by Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Tuesday.
They accused the government of having failed to draw up a proper strategy, pointing out that the mortality rate in Sweden is now around double that of most of its Nordic neighbours.
Norway has 6,740 cases and 145 deaths. Finland has 3,237 cases and 72 deaths. Denmark has 6,681 cases and 309 deaths.
Random sampling carried out by the public health agency suggests that at least 2.5 per cent of Stockholm residents may already have been infected, implying a much higher figure of around six times the official stats.
Epidemiology professor Bo Lundback of the University of Gothenburg, slammed the Swedish government as naive and irresponsible.
He said "The authorities and the government stupidly did not believe that the epidemic would reach Sweden at all.
"Sweden was poorly or even not at all prepared."
He joined researchers' calls for "rapid and radical measures" to stem the outbreak seen everywhere else in Europe.
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There is also high-level skepticism over the relatively high number of foreign-born deaths, which has not been the case in neighbouring Norway.
Some of Stockholm's most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, where many immigrants live, were up to three times more affected than the rest of the capital.
However, officials insist their plan is sustainable in the long-term, rejecting drastic short-term measures as too ineffective to justify their impact on society.
The government has emphasised "individual responsibility"; and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven insisted that he trusts Swedes to be sensible and obey social distancing guidelines without him having to enforce them.
Lofven said: "This crisis may continue for a long time, and in order for the measures to work over time, people need to understand and accept them.'
However, in spite of the government's advice, over the weekend Swedes were seen flaunting common sense social distancing measures used all around the world.
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Sweden's prime minister Stefan Lofven has conceded that "preparedness has not been good enough" as his government set aside more than 100billion kronor (£8billion) to address the economic impact of the pandemic.
The Swedish economy is expected to shrink by around four per cent this year but Finance minister Magdalena Andersson said ministers hope to see the economy improve again before the end of the year.
Local authorities have also been promised billions to meet extra healthcare costs because of the crisis.
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