Prime Minister Erna Solberg has said Norway will begin on Sunday the third major phase of its plan to reopen society from the pandemic as Covid-19 infections continue to decline, Reuters reports.

From June 20, Norwegians will be allowed to receive up to 20 guests in their homes, double the current level, while bars and restaurants will no longer have to close at midnight, she said. The government will also allow more overseas visitors into the country, but testing and quarantine requirements remain for many who arrive.

"Norway is on track and we're ready for step three," Solberg told a news conference.

The latest set of relaxations is part of the government's four-stage plan, introduced in April, to gradually unwind the national lockdown.