This was announced by the deputy state epidemiologist Anders Wallensten at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

What is new is that we are raising the risk of the virus spreading in Sweden also to people other than in close relations, to very high. This is because a couple of cases have been identified in Stockholm and Västra Götaland, where we cannot be sure where they have caught the virus. They have not been travelling or been in direct contact with someone who has been in a high-risk area,"

The heightened risk level means that the authorities see a new phase coming, which requires new measures to address it, said Johan Carlson, general director at the Public Health Agency.

He recommends the public stay at home and away from work or public spaces if they have any cold or flu-like symptoms, public events may need to be restricted, and people should avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes unless it is urgent.

This in addition to the regular advice, wash your hands regularly, cough or sneeze into your elbow and avoid touching your face.

At 3.30pm on Tuesday 10th March there were 341 confirmed cases of covid-19 in Sweden, with 60 news cases in the Stockholm region today alone, most of them people who had been abroad.

To find out more listen to the report.