Swedish News, April 28:

One fifth had corona antibodies. The Swedish prime rate remains at zero percent. SAS lays off 5,000 employees. 81 new deaths - a total of 2,355 dead in Sweden as of April 28.  

  • About one in five employees at the hospital in Danderyd, Stockholm have had covid-19

  • One fifth had corona antibodies
    About one in five employees at the hospital in Danderyd, Stockholm have had covid-19 according to results from antibody tests during the past week. Since just over a week ago, 527 employees at the hospital have been tested.

  • The Swedish prime rate remains at zero percent
    Sweden’s national bank, Sveriges Riksbank, lets the prime rate (reporäntan or styrräntan in Swedish) remain at zero percent. The interest rate is thus left unchanged despite the corona crisis, as it is now considered not justified to increase demand when the downturn in the economy is due to restrictions and people's concern about the spread of disease, according to the bank. The Riksbank also flags for low interest rates for a long time. "Although the future economic development is genuinely uncertain, it still indicates that monetary policy stimulus in the form of low interest rates and a large amount of liquidity will be needed for the foreseeable future," the bank wrote in a press release. The bank has also outlined various scenarios of how the Swedish economy may develop. In the worst case scenario, GDP goes down 9.7% and unemployment tops 10.1% for the year.

  • Sweden's national bank, the Riksbank flags for low interest rates for a long time.

  • SAS lays off 5,000 employees
    The airline wants to adapt the organization to an expected lower demand for air travel after the corona epidemic and gives 5,000 employees notice of termination. About 1,900 of the employees are in Sweden, 1,300 in Norway and 1,700 in Denmark, according to a press release. The reduction of 5,000 jobs corresponds to 40 percent of the total number of employed at SAS. “It will take several years for demand to return,” says SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson, “We are trying to act proactively and responsibly during this difficult time.”

  • 81 new deaths - a total of 2,355 dead in Sweden as of April 28
    A total of 2,355 people, who have been found to be infected by the coronavirus, have died in Sweden. This is an increase of 81 people over the past 24 hours. 695 new cases of infection have been reported. 1,388 people receive or have received intensive care. There are at present 1,085 intensive care beds available in Sweden.