After shunning lockdowns, Sweden now says its coronavirus situation is 'very serious'

Sweden says a maximum of eight people will now be allowed to dine together at restaurants or cafes, as the country faces a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and deaths. 'We see that the situation is heading in the wrong direction - the situation is very serious,' Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told a press conference on Tuesday. He added that more patients were being treated in intensive care units for severe cases of COVID-19, and it was likely that fatalities would rise. One in five patients receiving intensive care was a COVID-19 patient, added Lena Hallengren, Sweden's minister of health and social affairs.