Sweden confirms 22 new COVID-19 cases, 52 in total

Sweden confirmed 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, a dramatic increase that brings the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 52, announced health authorities.

Of the new cases, 16 were confirmed in the capital Stockholm, while one case was confirmed in Orebro, one in Skane, two in the Varmland region, and two in Gothenburg, according to Sweden's Public Health Agency.

The agency called on all labs in the country that can test the virus to from now on routinely test patients reporting respiratory symptoms and having no plausible cause for their conditions.

In addition, as of this week, routines will also be extended to include tests from Sweden's so-called sentinel system for surveilling influenza.