By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The Swedish Public Health Agency reports the spread of COVID-19 is increasing in the metropolitan regions but is still at a low level nationally.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

During the week ending July 17 (epi week 28), officials say 1,855 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Sweden, which is an increase of approximately 24 percent compared with week prior. The incidence calculated over 14 days was 32 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

To date, six new intensive care patients with confirmed covid-19 have been reported for week 28, which is lower than the mean for weeks 25-27.

For week 26, seven confirmed confirmed deaths have been reported so far. Up to and including week 28, a total of 14,615 deaths have been reported among confirmed cases of covid-19.

In addition, officials say just over 75 per cent of all people aged 18 and older in Sweden have received at least one dose of vaccine, and just over 47 per cent have been vaccinated with two doses.

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In the group 65 years and older, 89 percent are now fully vaccinated. This group has largely been vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s vaccine against covid-19, Vaxzevria, where the Swedish Public Health Agency has now decided to discontinue distribution and thus gradually stop using the vaccine.

The doses of Vaxzevria that are still available in the regions can be used for a second dose to people who have received a dose of Vaxzevria and also as a first dose to people who are 65 years and older. Follow-up vaccination with dose two for people who have received Vaxzevria can also be performed with the mRNA vaccines Pfizer or Moderna.