So far, Skåne has been successful with the task given by Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public Health Agency of Sweden), that is to keep the number of infected people who require medical treatment down.

– It’s too early for a victory lap yet. Right now the situation is looking very good, he says.

There are several reasons, he says. Skåne put a visiting ban in the healthcare sector early; the municipalities introduced a visiting ban in elderly care, the investment in mobile teams that take samples from elderly people, closing public dental care to all patients except for emergency visits. In addition, several cultural institutions have closed.

The increase is slower in Skåne than in, for example, Stockholm. On Tuesday, Skåne had 366 detected cases of covid-19, according to Folkhälsomyndigheten.

– We’re really trying to get the message out that if you think you’re infected, call first and don’t take a bus to the hospital. We hope that this is making a difference, says Eva Melander at Smittskydd Skåne.

So far, two people infected with the coronavirus who lived in retirement homes in Kristianstad have died.

– It’s very difficult to know how the infection has been transmitted. What is difficult with the disease is that it can be so mild. In the beginning, you may not notice that you have it.

– For the public, it’s still very important to stay at home when you are ill, even if you have mild symptoms, and to not attend family gatherings or meet your old mom at Easter. Wash your hands when you get home, when you come to work, before you cook and before you eat. And respect the visiting bans at hospitals and retirement homes.

Two dead in retirement home