COPENHAGEN, Denmark: Sweden which has stood out among European nations for its comparatively hands-off response to the pandemic, has passed the threshold of 15,000 deaths with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to official figures released Tuesday.
Thomas Linden of the National Board of Health and Welfare, told Swedish public radio that it was difficult to say whether Sweden has an unusually high excess mortality due to the virus.
“Internationally, Sweden has not had a higher mortality rate. But if you compare with the other Nordic countries, we are significantly higher,” Linden told SR.
In comparison, Denmark has recorded 2,703 deaths, Norway 895 and Finland nearly 1,150. Each of those countries has slightly over half as many people as Sweden.
According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden, 15,002 people — 6,793 women and 8,209 men — have died with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Sweden had opted for keeping large sections of society open. It has not gone into lockdowns or closed businesses, relying instead on citizens’ sense of civic duty to control infections.
![]()
Virus outlier Sweden passes grim COVID-19 milestone
Short Url
https://arab.news/6uz68
Virus outlier Sweden passes grim COVID-19 milestone
- An official said it was difficult to say whether Sweden has an unusually high excess mortality due to the virus
- Denmark has recorded 2,703 deaths, Norway 895 and Finland nearly 1,150
Two airports in Poland closed due to Russian strikes on Ukraine
- Airports in Rzeszow and Lublin have temporarily suspended flight operations
- Both cities are close to the country’s border with Ukraine
WARSAW: Two airports in southeastern Poland were suspended from operations as a precaution due to Russian strikes on nearby Ukraine territory, Polish authorities said on Saturday.
“In connection with the need to ensure the possibility of the free operation of military aviation, the airports in Rzeszow and Lublin have temporarily suspended flight operations,” Polish Air Navigation Services Agency posted on X.
Both cities are close to the country’s border with Ukraine, with Rzeszow being NATO’s main hub for arms supplies to Ukraine.
Military aviation had begun operating in Polish airspace due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.
“These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to the threatened regions,” the army said.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 posted on X that the closure involved NATO aircraft operating in the area.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said in a notice to airmen that both airports were inaccessible due to the military activity related to ensuring state security.
Last month, Rzeszow and Lublin suspended operations for a time, but the authorities said then that the military aviation operations were routine and there had been no threat to Polish airspace.
“In connection with the need to ensure the possibility of the free operation of military aviation, the airports in Rzeszow and Lublin have temporarily suspended flight operations,” Polish Air Navigation Services Agency posted on X.
Both cities are close to the country’s border with Ukraine, with Rzeszow being NATO’s main hub for arms supplies to Ukraine.
Military aviation had begun operating in Polish airspace due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.
“These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing and protecting the airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to the threatened regions,” the army said.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 posted on X that the closure involved NATO aircraft operating in the area.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said in a notice to airmen that both airports were inaccessible due to the military activity related to ensuring state security.
Last month, Rzeszow and Lublin suspended operations for a time, but the authorities said then that the military aviation operations were routine and there had been no threat to Polish airspace.
Latest updates
© 2026 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.