The increase was particularly clear during autumn and winter 2022, which is believed to be due to contacts between people and travelers returning to levels similar to those before the pandemic. However, the total number of cases remained lower for many diseases compared to before the pandemic.
“During December, the spread of covid-19, influenza and the RS virus coincided, which led to many falling ill. It is likely that the population’s immunity to several infectious diseases has decreased during the pandemic,” says state epidemiologist Anders Lindblom in a press release.
In 2022, mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, also spread in large parts of the world. A total of 255 cases were reported in Sweden, the majority during the summer months.