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Number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 286 by 2pm, up by 13 in a day
More than 650 Slovenians still away abroad
Pahor urges Von der Leyen to facilitate purchase of medical equipment
Businesses urged to follow example of Chinese-owned Gorenje over coronavirus
UEFA boss and Alibaba founder secure face masks for Slovenia
Number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 286 by 2pm, up by 13 in a day
STA, 18 March 2020 - The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Slovenia rose to 286 by 2pm on Wednesday, up by 13 in the last 24 hours. A total of 8,730 persons have so far been tested, up almost 1,200 compared to yesterday, the government said on Twitter. No new deaths have been reported since the first confirmed casualty on the weekend.
The rate of increase in the number of confirmed cases has been slowing down in recent days, probably due to the decision to restrict testing to health and emergency workers, the elderly, those in hospital and people exhibiting more severe symptoms.
The government has warned that the number of actually infected people is probably several times higher and strict social distancing measures remain in place.
The Ljubljana UKC hospital is currently treating 18 Covid-19 patients, five of them in an intensive care unit. Two new patients were admitted and four discharged today, the hospital said on its Twitter account.
Central Slovenia has registered most of the coronavirus cases so far confirmed, 103.
Meanwhile, 13 coronavirus patients are hospitalised at UKC Maribor in Slovenia's second city (NE), one of them is in intensive care but no longer needs a ventilator, while one of the 12 others does.
In addition, 95 UKC Maribor employees are self-isolating. Preventive measures are in course after an office employee of the transfusion medicine centre has tested positive, although the person has not been in contact with patients or staff that have contacts with patients.
Government information shows that the highest infection rate has been in the age group of 30-49-year-olds, at 99, and the lowest among kids up to the age of 15, at 20. Forty-five are 60 or older.
More than 650 Slovenians still away abroad
STA, 18 March 2020 - More than 650 Slovenians are still away abroad amid world-wide cancellations of flights and other public transport links due to the coronavirus crisis, Foreign Ministry data show.
The Foreign Ministry said that almost half of those who responded to its call to get in touch were currently in EU countries, and a third in the Middle East, Asia and Russia.
The figure includes both individuals and groups of tourists, so that the actual number of those still away abroad is likely higher than 650.
They are mostly tourists and travellers rather than those living, working or studying abroad, the ministry said.
Almost 300 of those who are still in some other EU country should not have major problems returning home.
Meanwhile, the ministry pledged to make its best effort to help get home some 200 Slovenians still in the Middle East, Asia or Russia.
None of those who have got in touch is in trouble for the time being and all are safe.
A special "consular crisis cell" comprising 15 to 20 employees is working daily to help anyone in need of assistance.
Talks have also been under way to evacuate Slovenian tourists in cooperation with other EU countries.
Pahor urges Von der Leyen to facilitate purchase of medical equipment
STA, 18 March 2020 - President Borut Pahor spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, calling for procedures of public procurement of medical equipment for fighting the coronavirus pandemic to be facilitated. Pahor, who also spoke with EU High Representative Josep Borrell, said this was of extreme importance to Slovenia.
The talks had been planned to take place in person, but were instead held via videoconference, the president's office said, adding that Pahor had also spoken to European Parliament President David Sassoli over the phone.
Speaking with Von der Leyen, the president called for public procurement of medical equipment to be finalised as soon as possible. Von der Leyen said that the shortest deadline for applications was six days, adding that the problem was on the supply side.
Currently under way are three joint public orders for protective masks, ventilators and laboratory equipment, with Slovenia participating in all three. The procedures are in different phases, and the European Commission refuses to speak about the ordered quantities.
The president's office added that the officials had agreed that the new coronavirus pandemic would slow down economic growth, to which member states needed to be prepared.
Von der Leyen presented key measures regarding state aid and the Stability and Growth Pact with which member states can take measures of their own to protect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular.
The officials agreed that other important issues must not be overlooked during the coronavirus crisis, including illegal migration, negotiations on the next multi-year EU budget, climate change, digitalisation and EU enlargement.
Pahor acquainted Von der Leyen with the joint letter of the countries of the Brdo-Brijuni Process of cooperation in the Western Balkans, signed by seven leaders.
The letter calls on the European Council to set a date for the start of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania and continue talks with other candidate countries.
Pahor said that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci had informed him that while he supported the call, he would not sign it because the remaining leaders focused on North Macedonia and Albania, while Thaci had insisted that visa liberalisation for Kosovo was also added.
The president, who invited the European Commission president to take part in one of the future meetings of the initiative, also acquainted the EU foreign policy chief Borrell with the letter in a separate videoconference.
Borrell meanwhile acquainted Pahor with the measures at the EU level to contain the spread of coronavirus, including the efforts to return EU citizens from third countries home, the president's office said.
They also discussed the migration crisis, EU-Turkey relations in the wake of the developments on the Greek-Turkish border, and the situation in the Western Balkans.
Pahor and Borrell agreed that Turkey was facing a great challenge and that the EU should help. The EU is doing this based on the 2016 agreement, and it is unjustifiable to use migrants to exert pressure on the EU, they added.
Exchange of views on fighting the pandemic also topped the agenda as Pahor spoke with Sassoli, who told the Slovenian president that the next session of the European Parliament in Brussels would be almost fully dedicated to the topic.
Pahor and Sassoli also called for the most efficient and unified response from the EU, the president's office said.
Businesses urged to follow example of Chinese-owned Gorenje over coronavirus
STA, 18 March 2020 - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek has appealed to manufacturers to organise work in such a way as to protect their staff's health to the greatest possible extent in order to remain functioning despite the coronavirus epidemic, offering the Chinese-owned household appliances maker Hisense Gorenje as a good example to follow.
"Production processes must not stop, lest closure of production facilities should jeopardise the supply of the population," the minister said in the appeal, posted on the government web site.
The post also features a video showing how health safety measures were being applied in Hisense's Gorenje factory in Velenje, which employs 3,500 people.
The ministry says that the company introduced measures on time to protect the health of all its employees and prevent the spread of the virus.
The company introduced first preventive measures as early as end of January when the virus only started spreading out of China, including banning all business trips to or from China.
They upgraded the measures in February, stepping them up at the beginning of March. On top of earlier instructions to employees to follow self-protective measures and availability of sanitisers, the company reduced the number of entrances and has been temperature scanning all employees entering the building.
Inside the Gorenje complex everyone is required to wear face masks with special measures in place at the canteen and a special regime imposed on the lorry drivers and visitors entering, although they are advising against visits to the company premises.
UEFA boss and Alibaba founder secure face masks for Slovenia
STA, 18 March 2020 - Slovenia is to receive 300,000 protective face masks from two foundations of the Chinese multinational technology company Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma. The donation, which is expected to arrive in Slovenia on Thursday evening or Friday morning, is reportedly a result of a friendship between Ma and UEFA boss Aleksander Čeferin.
According to the media, the Slovenian lawyer who heads the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has been involved in this project since he is a friend of Ma and has thus contributed to the efforts to raise such an amount of coveted protective gear.
Čeferin has confirmed the reports for the newspaper Delo, saying that he had called his good friend Jack Ma and asked him for help. "Jack responded immediately and a donation of 300,000 protective masks is coming to Slovenia and is to be followed later by other gear."
The UEFA head expressed gratitude for this step, saying that world-wide solidarity was key for survival in such times.
The Defence Ministry communication office told the STA that the masks would be transported from Belgium, where they had already landed, by the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.
The Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation have donated 1.5 million masks altogether to France, Belgium and Slovenia to help fight the coronavirus epidemic in these countries.
Meanwhile, another arrival of much needed masks is expected on Thursday - after a slight delay, Slovenia is to get 1.5 million masks, mostly intended for healthcare workers, social institutions, but also for workforce in infrastructure and industry.
