Omicron Variant Causes Sweden To Record Infection Record, King Carl XVI Gustaf And Queen Silvia Test Positive For COVID-19

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf with Queen Silvia. (Wikimedia Commons/Frankie Fouganthin)

JAKARTA - Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia have tested positive for COVID-19, the Palace said in a statement on Tuesday, amid rising infections in the Nordic country driven by a new variant of the Omicron virus.

Sweden set a new daily record for COVID-19 cases, the latest data from the health agency showed on Tuesday, recording 11,507 cases on December 30.

"The King and Queen, who were fully vaccinated with three injections, have mild symptoms and are feeling well, given their circumstances", the palace said in a statement.

The palace said the 75-year-old king and 78-year-old queen were self-isolating and work to track down those they had contact with was ongoing.

Carl Gustaf, whose role was largely ceremonial, became Sweden's head of state at the age of 27, following the death of King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1973, and is the country's longest-serving monarch.

Previously, Crown Princess Victoria, her eldest daughter, and heir to the throne contracted the virus in March last year, as did her husband, Prince Daniel. Both recovered after suffering mild symptoms.

After quiet autumn, Sweden has seen a spike in infections in recent weeks.

In the four-day period from Friday to Monday, the country recorded 42,969 new cases and 20 deaths, Public Health Agency figures showed.

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf with Queen Silvia. (Wikimedia Commons/Bengt Nyman)

The Omicron variant has spread rapidly, especially in urban areas. Scientists estimate it now accounts for 50 percent or more of infections in areas such as the capital, Stockholm.

Last month, the government tightened restrictions on public gatherings and urged everyone who could work from home.

Restrictions are still relatively limited, by the government's policy through the pandemic to avoid strict lockdowns.

To note, the country's COVID death toll is much higher per capita than its Nordic neighbors, which imposed stricter restrictions early in the pandemic, but lower than many European countries under lockdown.

Earlier, King Carl Gustaf made headlines in Sweden in 2020 when he said his country had failed in its handling of COVID-19, a sharp critique of pandemic policies that was partly blamed for the high mortality rate among the elderly.