Stockholm — The number of deaths related to the coronavirus in Sweden has surpassed 1,000.
Anders Tegnell, of the country’s Public Health Agency, says there’s been 1,033 deaths. Tegnell says 114 deaths have been reported in the last day, up from a previous 20 deaths.
Sweden is pursuing relatively liberal policies to fight the coronavirus pandemic, even though there has been a sharp spike in deaths.
In an opt-ed Tuesday, some 22 public health experts called on politicians to take control, saying Sweden’s Public Health Agency had failed. It cited the high Swedish per capita death rate compared to neighboring countries, urging politicians to take control.
Tegnell brushed off the criticism, saying the figures used by the experts were “erroneous.”
Authorities in the Scandinavian country have advised the public to practice social distancing, but schools, bars and restaurants are still open, and only gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned.
