Covid-19 coronavirus: Swedish regions call for tougher measures

There are tough restrictions in neighbouring European countries. Photo / AP

Swedish regions are pleading with the central government to introduce tougher coronavirus restrictions amid a surge in cases.

The head of the region surrounding Sweden's third city, Malmö, has called for tough restrictions similar to those in neighbouring European countries, in an attempt to move the country away from its famed light-touch approach.

"We need to speak out and say what we are thinking," said Carl-Johan Sonesson, the chairman of the regional government in Skåne.

"I have more sympathy for the thinking of Germany, France and the UK, than with this liberal idea we should not do anything."

Sonesson said he was considering bringing in face masks on public transport and other public spaces, returning upper secondary schools to distance-learning, and reimposing a ban on visits to elderly care homes.

Sweden recorded a record number of new infections last week after successfully keeping the virus at bay for months despite no formal lockdown.

Skåne is the second region to be issued with "local general recommendations", after the number of people testing positive leapt 45 per cent week on week, with the seven-day daily average hitting 268 on Saturday, and a record 509 testing positive on Friday.

For the next three weeks, people have been asked to avoid public transport and shopping centres, museums and libraries, to try to exercise outside, and not to socialise with people they don't normally see.

On Friday, the regions around Stockholm, Gothenburg and Norrköping were also issued with local recommendations.