Coronavirus: Sweden records highest death toll for 150 years

Coronavirus claimed about 4,500 lives in the first six months of 2020

(EPA)

Sweden recorded its highest death tally in 150 years during the first six months of 2020, the country’s statistics office said on Wednesday.

Between January and June, 51,405 Swedes died, the highest number since 1869 when 55,431 died, partly because of a famine, and over 6,500 more compared with the same period in 2019.

Among the deaths registered were about 4,500 from Covid-19 – a much higher percentage of the country’s 10.3 million population than in other Nordic nations, such as Norway, which has had 264 deaths despite the population only being about half of that of Sweden’s.

The death toll is still significantly lower than that seen in some other European nations, including the UK, Italy and Spain, where it is 41,403, 35,418 and 28,813 respectively.

The lives lost to coronavirus in Sweden saw the number of deaths rise about 10 per cent higher than the average for the six-month period over the last five years, according to the statistics office said.

In April, the number of deaths was almost 40 per cent higher than average because of a surge in coronavirus-related fatalities.

Sweden stood out among European nations for its approach to fighting the pandemic, choosing not to enforce a lockdown and relying on people to practise social distancing and home working voluntarily.

Primary and secondary schools, restaurants, cafes and shops remained open, meaning the economy fared better than several others.

However, the country is paying the human price for its controversial strategy and deaths from Covid-19 have now risen to 5,805.

And Finland’s economy outperformed Sweden’s in the second quarter, despite tougher lockdown restrictions, including the closing of schools, limiting public gatherings and closing borders.

Finland’s gross domestic product shrank by around 5 per cent against an 8.6 per cent contraction in Sweden from the previous three-month period.

The state epidemiologist behind Sweden’s approach to the virus admitted in June that tighter restrictions on movement and gatherings would have helped to avoid such a high death toll.

When asked on Swedish public radio if too many people had died, Anders Tegnell said, “Yes, absolutely.”

Additional reporting by Reuters