Public Health Authority: It is important that the tests done are appropriate

The number tested for ongoing coronary infection fell to 28,800 people last week. This is about 4,000 fewer than the week before, according to statistics from the Public Health Authority. At the same time, Sweden has laboratory capacity to conduct 100,000 tests a week and this has also been the government's stated goal.

"We need to reach further and test more extensively, but the testing needs to be appropriate," says Karin Tegmark Wisell, Head of Department at the Public Health Authority.

That the government's target of 100,000 tests a week has not been achieved, Tegmark Wisell does not want to see it as a failure. She points out that the Public Health Agency's calculations of a need for 100,000-150,000 tested individuals per week were based on the covid statistics from the end of March to April.

- Then we had a situation where we had more than 40 new IVA cases per day. Now, a month and a half later, we are in a situation where we have about 10-15 new IVA cases per day.

- This means that we review the calculations, says Karin Tegmark Wisell.

At the end of the week, the Public Health Authority will prepare a guide for sampling in the elderly care.

Also from the regions is the message that appropriate testing goes before the number of tests.

- We need to know who should be tested, when they should be tested, why they should be tested and what to do when you get the answer, says Emma Spaak, section head of health at SKR.

According to Emma Spaak, the regions have the opportunity to do more tests.

- There is a capacity in the regions to increase sampling for active disease, but the amount of samples taken will be based on the need.

During the press conference, it also emerged that 96 new deaths in covid-19 have been reported. In total, there are now 4 125 people who have died in the disease.