STOCKHOLM: Sweden, whose unorthodox pandemic strategy has placed it in the global spotlight, registered 18,820 new coronavirus cases since Friday, Health Agency statistics showed on Tuesday.

The increase compared with 17,629 cases recorded the corresponding period one week a ago.

Sweden registered 133 new deaths on Tuesday, taking the total to 7,200.

Sweden's death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours' but lower than in several European countries that opted for lockdowns.