STOCKHOLM /Reuters – The daily average for COVID-19 patients in Sweden was set on Thursday. These numbers are expected to rise rapidly in the weeks ahead of a peak at January’s end, according to the nation’s health agency.

On Thursday, there were 25215 new cases. This was due to an increase in Omicron variants. The Public Health Agency said that the number could rise more than twice by the month’s end in worst-case scenarios.

Sweden tightened restrictions recently and urged individuals to work at home as a way to limit the spread of the disease.

The Health Agency released a statement Thursday saying that the updated scenarios of the Health Agency show an increasing spread of infection for two more weeks with a peak around the beginning January.

According to the Health Agency, Sweden may see 69,000 cases per day at peak.

Based on the Dec. 21 outlook, Sweden may see 15,000 to 15,000 new COVID-19 patients per day in the worst case scenario. The peak was in January.

Anders Tegnell, a state epidemiologist said that Sweden is experiencing the same increase in infection rates as other countries.

These increases will likely continue for quite some time. He stated that there is already a lot of pressure on the welfare and health system.

Although COVID infection rates have increased, hospitalizations for the disease remain well below previous wave’s peak. Relatively few new deaths have also occurred.