STOCKHOLM: New measures and extensions to existing COVID support will cost around 63 billion crowns ($7.61 billion) in 2021, bringing the total cost of efforts to support the economy through the pandemic to 374 billion crowns, the government said on Monday.

"Never before have Swedish tax-payers rescued so many jobs in the private sector," Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters during a news conference.

The government has extended measures such support for company employees on furlough and for lost revenues through February and, in some cases, to June.