Sweden recorded its highest death tally in 150 years for the first half of 2020, according to the country’s official statistics office.
Between January and June this year, 51,405 deaths were registered – more than 6,500 fatalities (or 15 per cent) over the same period in 2019.
This is the highest number of deaths in Sweden during the first half of the year since 1869, when the country was struck by famine and 55,431 people died.