Swedish News:

New scabies epidemic. Prince Carl Philip in South Korea. ABBA-Frida’s clothes auctioned off. 

  • New scabies epidemic
    Sweden has been hit with a new epidemic of scabies, the contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and animals, and which is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite. Children and teenagers are those most at risk. “If scabies (or “skabb” in Swedish) isn’t discovered in time, you can get up to 500 animals digging tunnels under the skin,” says Bernt Lindelöf, senior physician at Karolinska Unviersitetssjukhuset. The symptoms include small wounds on the hands and wrist, around the female breasts and around the male sex organ. “It is a disease that comes and goes, often in seven year periods. Right now it seems we have a new epidemic,” Lindelöf continues and adds that if left untreated, scabies can lead to difficult wounds if you scratch until the skin breaks. The reason children and teenagers are most at risk, is that they often have skin-to-skin contact with each other. Scabies is only contagious from direct contact with skin. “Even teenage boys who huddle closely together while playing computer or TV games with each other are a new group. Ten years ago, it was rare for boys that age to get scabies.” If you have scabies you have an itching sensation on your body, but if it’s the first time you get it, it can be up to a month before you discover it. “Unfortunately many patients get the wrong diagnosis, and therefore go about with their problems for a long period of time. The itch can sometimes be thought to be allergies or eczema, and meanwhile you can give it to others,” says Lindelöf. In order to avoid scabies, make sure you wash yourself after being in contact with others. Scabies is treated by a cream you can buy over the counter in pharmacies.

  • Prince Carl Philip in South Korea
    Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip is on his longest trip so far as a prince. He’s marketing Sweden and the Royal Swedish family in South Korea. “I know my duty and I try to perform it as well as possible,” he says. “I want to stand up for the Swedish colors.” In an interview with Expressen, Carl Philip also talks about the difficulties of being a prince, his best qualities, and about the criticism that he’s not working enough. “Sometimes it’s best to not listen to everything people say,” he says. He continues to explain that it’s important for him to be in South Korea, where he is participating in the World Conservation Congress with over 6000 participants, and which has on its agenda the environment. The prince is one of ten celebrities from all over the world, and as a patron of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), he has to advertise the organization and put it in focus. Prince Albert of Monaco is another of the patrons. “I was happy to say yes to this project,” says Carl Philip. “It’s an honor. And I feel I can add something to it in my role as Prince of Sweden.” Few people know what the organization does and how they work, and Carl Philip says he hopes he can change that. Panel debates, award ceremonies and several closed meetings with people in top positions in the organization are on the prince’s agenda. “It feels good to be here. To meet others and learn new things. It’s important to be knowledgeable, though.” He says that although his parents talk to him about trips like these, they don’t tell him what to do. Last year, he finished his studies at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp, an education he calls “demanding.” What will he do next? “Several things, it will become clear.”

  • ABBA-Frida’s clothes auctioned off
    Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad, known as the brunette in ABBA, cleaned out her closet and sold some of her old pieces at Stockholms Auktionsverk. But if you’re thinking glittery pieces from the 1970s, think again. It was more classic Chanel than anything else. “Frida contacted us about cleaning out her closet and felt her things were too nice to just be thrown away,” says Anna Hamilton, director of information at Stockholms Auktionsverk. The auction was visited by ABBA fans and vintage lovers. “Of course many come to see Frida’s clothes and see for how much they sell,” says one visitor, Anna, who fell for a red evening gown by Alberta Ferretti. The auction brought in 223 000 SEK ($33,959), where around 1.2 percent of each sold piece of clothing went to Stockholms Auktionsverk. But the most expensive piece, a Hermés bag, with a starting price of 50 000 to 60 000 SEK ($7,600 - $9,131) remained unsold.