STOCKHOLM: Sweden, whose soft-touch pandemic response has placed it in the global spotlight, on Wednesday registered 7,556 new coronavirus cases, Health Agency statistics showed.

The increase compared with a high of 7,935 new cases recorded last week.

Sweden registered 135 new deaths, taking the total to 7,802.

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