Sweden faces pressure to impose lockdown after death toll rises

With gatherings of up to 50 people still permitted, Sweden is facing increasing pressure from scholars to impose a lockdown after coronavirus deaths rose by 20 percent in a single day. Schools, universities, pubs and restaurants are still functioning in Sweden despite its neighbours taking draconian steps to prevent the spread of the virus. According to reports, more than 2,000 doctors, scientists, professors signed a petition last week, calling on the Swedish government to impose strict preventive measures.

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Domestic air travel is running as usual in the Scandinavian country, where Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he trusted Swedes to behave like adults and follow the social distancing guidelines. However, if media reports are to be believed, the Swedish government is expected to put forward a bill in the parliament that would allow it to take wider executive decisions like shutting down of airports and railway stations. According to data by worldometer, 591 people in Sweden have lost their lives so far due to COVID-19 and on Tuesday the country saw its largest daily rise in deaths after 76 patients died in a single day. 

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Swedish authorities claim that the number of cases is decreasing, with only 376 infections reported on April 6, down from over 600 on April 3. As per the data, Sweden has recorded 7,693 confirmed infections, of which 6,897 cases are still active, while 640 remain under critical condition.

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Coronavirus outbreak

The deadly coronavirus infection has claimed nearly 82,000 lives across the world and has infected over 14,32,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China was the most affected country until last month before Italy and Spain surpassed it to record the most number of deaths anywhere in the world due to COVID-19. The United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Iran have also overtaken China in terms of the COVID-19 death toll. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)