Swedish News, April 20:

40 new deaths in Sweden - 1,580 total. Increased confidence in FHM. Unemployment in Sweden is rising - now 8 percent. Regions create stockpile for drugs 

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  Analysis of data at the Swedish Public Health Authority, Folkhälsomyndigheten. Photo: Karl Erik Sundqvist

• 40 new deaths - 1,580 total
  Over the last 24 hours another 40 people have died from covid-19 in Sweden, according to statistics from the Public Health Authority. A total of 1,580 have died. New patients in need of intensive care have leveled out and deaths per day are now just under 60. Anders Tegnell, state epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency, emphasizes that for the trend to continue, everyone has to remember to stay at home in case of illness. A total of 14,777 people have been tested positive for the corona virus in Sweden.

• Increased confidence in FHM
  Confidence is increasing for the Public Health Authority (Folkhälsomyndigheten, FHM) and the government, according to a study by Demoskop. In March, 50 percent of those surveyed responded that they had fairly high or very high confidence in FHM. In April, the proportion was 71 percent. For the government, the share has increased from 34 to 53 per cent during the same period.

• Unemployment in Sweden is rising - now 8 percent
  Unemployment continues to rise at a rapid rate. Nearly 410,000 people, or 8 percent of the workforce, are now enrolled as unemployed. At the same time, the number of termination notices has continued to decline.

• Regions create stockpile for drugs
  Sweden has no national drug stockpile, which has drawn criticism during the corona pandemic. Now four regions in Sweden are joining forces to establish a stockpile for critically important drugs. Stockholm, Västra Götaland, Skåne and Östergötland will participate in the construction of the stockpile, which is estimated to cost SEK 450 million.