Sweden is running out of intensive care beds amid soaring coronavirus cases and may have to reach out to neighbouring countries for help, a top medic has warned.
Intensive care units in Stockholm, which has been hit hardest during the country’s second wave, hit 99 per cent capacity this week – with just seven beds remaining.
Now Sten Rubertsson, head of Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare, has warned that the lockdown-free country may have to reach out to neighbours such as Finland, which has made use of lockdowns, for help.
Sweden has been hard-hit by a second wave of coronavirus (seven-day average of new cases, pictured), and intensive care wards in major cities including Stockholm are now struggling
Deaths in Sweden have remained below their first wave peak, but if intensive care beds run out then the total could increase sharply as doctors are forced to choose which patients to save
In total, Sweden has around 700 intensive care beds, according to newspaper Aftonbladet.
While Sweden has not exceeded that capacity, Rubertsson pointed out that the beds are scattered across the country.
That means in cities such as Stockholm which have been badly hit, hospitals are operating right at their limit.
Other badly affected cities include Malmo and Gothenburg, both in the south.
Sten Rubertsson has warned that Sweden may need to reach out to Finland for help if the situation continues to worsen
Finland has previously promised to help Sweden handle its outbreak, with Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo saying over the summer: ‘Finland is ready to help in every way.
‘With intensive care, with test capacity, with everything we can. We are here for you.’
Sweden has shunned lockdowns and mask-wearing throughout the panemic in favour of a light-touch response, including advice on social distancing.
Virus expert Anders Tegnell previously predicted that avoiding lockdown would make Sweden better prepared for winter, due to a natural level of herd immunity that had built up in the population.
In fact, Sweden has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus second wave, and at one point had the fastest-growing outbreak anywhere in Europe.
The country’s seven-day average of new coronavirus cases now stands at 5,700, having doubled since November 11.
In total, it has suffered more than 300,000 cases and 7,000 deaths. Finland, by comparison, has suffered just 30,000 cases and 400 deaths.
Sweden has taken a largely lockdown-free approach to tackling the pandemic (pictured), while Finland has made use of strict measures to keep its outbreak under control
Those figures have forced Sweden to backtrack, bringing in night-time curfews and banning large gatherings.
Last week the public health agency issued new guidelines for people to follow over Christmas, including limiting social contacts to a ‘bubble’ of eight people, meeting outdoors as much as possible, and avoiding public transport.
The government will now text every phone number in Sweden with a link to the guidelines to ensure that they are followed.
Sweden’s home minister Mikael Damberg told reporters: ‘The recommendations aren’t some kind of tips for the public – they should be followed.’
Denmark and Norway also border Sweden, and have both made use of lockdowns to control their virus outbreaks.
Denmark has suffered a total of 100,000 cases of coronavirus with 900 deaths, and Norway has suffered 40,000 cases and fewer than 400 deaths.