Sweden registers 12,536 new COVID-19 cases, 277 deaths on Thursday

Passengers wearing protective masks walk on a platform at Malmo Central Station amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Malmo, Sweden January 7, 2020. TT News Agency/Johan Nilsson/via REUTERS

Sweden registered 12,536 new coronavirus cases since Jan. 5, Health Agency statistics showed on Thursday.

The country registered 277 new deaths, taking the total to 9,262. The deaths registered have typically occurred over several days and sometimes weeks. The Health Agency has said statistics over the Christmas period are less reliable than usual due to less testing and delays in reporting of deaths.

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.

FILE PHOTO: A border control officer stands at Oresund bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark as the Swedish government decided to close the border to visitors from Denmark on Tuesday, due to the spread of COVID-19, December 22, 2020. Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency/via REUTERS

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; editing by Johannes Hellstrom)