Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson tests positive for COVID after attending parliament debate

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has tested positive for COVID-19, her office confirmed on Friday. Giving an update about her health, her office informed that she is doing fine and that she will be "carrying out her work" by working from home and will follow all "the current recommendations."

Earlier this week, Andersson had taken part in a debate in the Parliament with other party leaders, after which at least two other top politicians have also tested positive for the virus. Center Party leader Annie Loof and Per Bolund, head of the small Green Party, have also tested positive for COVID-19. It is pertinent to mention here that Magdalena Andersson became Sweden’s first female prime minister in November 2021. 

Per Bolund took to Twitter to announce about getting infected with the virus. On January 13, Bolund tweeted that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and went into quarantine according to the recommendations given by the Swedish Public Health Agency. Other party leaders who had participated in the parliament debate have tested negative for COVID-19, AP reported citing SVT. 

COVID-19 situation in Sweden

According to statistics provided by Worldometer, as of 14 January, 1,560,363 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Sweden. The total number of fatalities reported due to COVID-19 is 15,470. The number of people who have recovered from the virus is 1,227,266. 7,785,590  people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 7,455,886  people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, SVT Nyheter reported citing Swedish Public Health Agency data. 2,861,926 have received a booster dose of the vaccine in Sweden. 

Digital proof of vaccination in restaurants, cultural venues 

As the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Sweden’s public health authorities on January 5 recommended restaurants, cultural venues and leisure places to ask their customers to show digital proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Even though the Swedish Public Health Agency has not made it a legal requirement, however, it has been a voluntary guideline for businesses. The government has recommended the guidelines for museums, theatres, gyms and swimming pools, and long-distance public transportation.

Inputs from AP

Image: Unsplash/AP