Region Norbotten is the first among the regions to move up to staff status.

There, preparedness is increased in all hospitals, but the biggest shortages of care places are at Sunderby hospital and within the surgical care places in the county, says Ulf Bergman, acting regional director Region Norrbotten.

But also in Region Stockholm, two hospitals have gone into staff mode - Capio S:t Göran Hospital and Norrtälje Hospital.

Staff mode means that preparedness within the region is increased and that cooperation between the county's hospitals is strengthened.

Lack of care places and staff

The increased infection coincides with a lack of care places and staff in several hospitals.

Among other things, Norrtälje Hospital writes in a press release that more employees than usual have been sick at home, which has caused a strained situation at the hospital in recent weeks.

There, it has also been necessary to postpone operations that can wait, the same applies to emergency reception operations.

- All this coincides during the summer period, which always means high pressure on care in Norrtälje municipality, says Sune Forsberg, acting chief physician, in a press release.

Most regions are reintroducing face masks

Region Värmland, Uppsala, Kronoberg, Norbotten and the Västra Götaland region were some of the latest regions to reintroduce mouth guards and other infection prevention measures in healthcare.

In total, 17 out of 21 regions have reintroduced mouth protection requirements in their businesses, according to a survey conducted by Sweden's Radio Ekot.

Briefly, the measures are about increased protection for close contacts in care and restraint with visits to hospitalized patients.

"The spread of infection in society must be taken seriously"

The mortality rate is significantly lower than the previous two corona summers.

But Anneli Carlander, head of unit at the Public Health Agency, notes, on the other hand, that the spread of infection is increasing again – slowly, but steadily, she says.

It is above all among the elderly and personnel in care and social care where the spread of infection is seen the most, but this may be due to the fact that samples are mainly taken in these groups.

- But there is also a spread of infection out in society that must be taken seriously, says Carlander

.