All our stories on coronavirus are here, while those covering covid-19 and Croatia are here. We'll have an update at the end of the day, and if you want newsflashes then we'll post those on Facebook
We can’t have pictures of COVID-19 every day. So instead we’ll try and show the works of Slovenian artists. Today it’s Igor Andjelić. You can see more of his work here.
13 tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, four died
Coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia seen as under control
Slovenians allowed to visit their holiday homes
MOT tests and some forms of public transport to resume Monday
Minister advises caution as restrictions are gradually eased
Velenje quarantine shutting down
13 tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, four died
STA, 18 April 2020 - Four people died of Covid-19 in Slovenia on Friday, bringing the total tally of deaths 70. 1,250 tests were performed and 13 people tested positive, for a total of 1,317.
93 Covid-patients were in hospital on Friday, 27 in intensive care, while eight were released into home crae, the government tweeted.
A total of 40,580 tests have so far been performed in Slovenia and a total of 190 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals.
According to the website sledilnik.org, the 13 new Covid-19 patients included four health care workers, four retirement home employees and four retirement home residents.
Three residents tested positive in Ljutomer, one of the worst-hit homes, yesterday, alongside one employee.
Among the 1,317 who have tested positive so far, 155 are health care workers, 121 retirement home employees and 280 residents.
The biggest number of positive cases has been detected in central Slovenia (390), followed by the Savinjska region (283) and Pomurje (146). On Friday, 39 people were hospitalised at the Ljubljana UKC hospital and 29 at the Maribor UKC hospital, 20 in Celje and six at the Golnik hospital.
Coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia seen as under control
STA, 17 April 2020 - The coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia is believed to be under control allowing public life to gradually re-start, but the danger is not over yet and significant caution will be needed going forward, the government's chief medical adviser for the coronavirus epidemic, Bojana Beović, told the press on Friday.
After the introduction of strict measures, such as the closure of schools and kindergartens and restrictions on the movement of people, the spread has slowed.
"The curve has now turned downwards and we can therefore start talking about a gradual relaxation of measures and steady normalisation of life," she said.
Beović presented estimates by several groups of researchers showing that the reproduction rate, which shows how many people one patient infects on average, had dropped to below one, which epidemics experts see as a point at which an epidemic starts to subside.
While some estimates she showed put it at over one, others have placed it significantly lower, to between 0.7 and 0.8.
But Beović was also quick to point out that this was not an epidemic that will end like SARS did. She said Slovenia was now in a transitional phase from an epidemic wave to a phase in which the epidemic will simmer and new outbreaks will be possible.
This means epidemiologists working in the field will have their work cut out trying to contain such outbreaks.
It also means people will have to continue abiding by measures such as wearing face masks in closed public spaces, using hand sanitizer and prevent physical contact.
"If we adhere to these measures, we'll be able to gradually open the country," the doctor said.
Slovenia entered lockdown on 20 March and measures were stepped up on 30 March, when most movement outside the home municipality was banned. Most retail outlets were closed on 16 March.
The first significant relaxation of measures starts on Saturday, when people will be allowed to go to their properties in a different municipality.
On Monday some services activities will be allowed to open, with a new wave of relaxation scheduled for 4 May, when small shops up to 400 square metres will be allowed to open, as well as hairdressers, beauty parlours and several other service establishments.
Slovenians allowed to visit their holiday homes
STA, 18 April 2020 - After Slovenia managed to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections, the strict lockdown restrictions in place since mid-March are being eased somewhat this weekend. Limited movement of residents outside their municipality will be allowed, but restrictions to people's movement and gathering remain in place.
Apart from being allowed to go to work, shopping, access emergency services, do farm work and care for family members, Slovenians will from now on also be able to access private land outside their municipality of residence for purposes such as maintenance and seasonal works.
To do that, they will have to possess a printed statement published on the websites of the Interior Ministry and Information Centre, containing basic information on the person travelling, the purpose of the trip and its expected duration.
To avoid fines, individuals will also have to show documents proving they own the property or have the right to use it if pulled over by police.
Those travelling to another municipality will, however, not be allowed to use any local infrastructure or services there.
Tens of thousands of Slovenians have property in the countryside and the relaxation in effect means they will be allowed to spend time on properties that many use as holiday homes and where many grow vegetables.
The decision, which the government adopted late on Wednesday, marks the first significant easing of lockdown restrictions that were introduced on 20 March to contain the spread of coronavirus.
More will follow on Monday, when DIY shops, shops selling cars and bicycles, dry cleaners and some repair shops such as tyre replacement shops will reopen after being forced to shut down on 16 March.
Some forms of public transportation will also be allowed to help get people to work, and annual vehicle roadworthiness tests will resume.
Bearing in mind the usual precautions about safe distance between individuals, outdoor courts and fields will reopen for sports such as jogging, cycling, golf, yoga, tennis, badminton and boules.
Hair salons and beauty parlours are expected to reopen on 4 May.
The government started indicating last week that some easing was being considered since the growth in new infections had started to slow down, but it wanted to make sure the flattening of the curve of infections was sustainable.
The number of new infections in Slovenia has been steadily declining, but more importantly, the number of patients requiring hospitalisation and intensive care has been broadly flat and has so far not come close to the capacity of the health system.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Slovenia rose by 36 to 1,304 on Thursday, while the number of deaths increased by five to 66. The vast majority of the victims have been nursing home residents with multiple underlying conditions.
MOT tests and some forms of public transport to resume Monday
STA, 17 April 2020 - The government has decided to further ease lockdown restrictions from Monday by allowing annual vehicle roadworthiness tests and some forms of public transport to resume.
Under the decision taken on Friday, annual vehicle roadworthiness tests and other procedures associated with registration of motor vehicles will resume, on condition that the providers follow the instructions of the National Institute of Public Health on prevention of coronavirus infections.
The validity of vehicle registration certificates, including vehicle insurance and ADR certificates for transport of hazardous goods, is being extended to 19 June at any rate.
Also allowed under special terms from Monday will be special transfers of passengers organised by business subjects to transport employees to work and back.
Such transits are based on a contract between the provider and transport organiser, who may be a local community or a legal entity or individual involved in for profit activity.
The provider needs to notify the ministry in charge of transport within eight days of closing the contract, submitting information on the itinerary and schedule of transfers.
The provider will need to have the contract and the list of passenger available for inspection in the vehicle during transfer.
The number of passengers is limited to up to a third of the seating capacity. The seats where the passengers can sit need to be marked. Passengers will need to wait to enter the vehicle while keeping a safety distance of two metres.
The passengers will be required to wear face masks within the vehicle and to sanitise their hands on entering and exiting the vehicle with a sanitiser made available be the provider.
The driver's space and door need to be separated from the passenger section of the vehicle. The driver will also need to wear a mask and have a sanitiser available.
After each ride, the vehicle will need to be thoroughly aired out and all the surfaces that are usually touched by the passengers wiped. The vehicle will need to be disinfected once daily.
Meanwhile, driving schools remain closed until 17 May.
Minister advises caution as restrictions are gradually eased
STA, 18 April 2020- Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec advised Slovenians against rushing to complete roadworthiness tests when vehicle inspection centres open after a month on Monday. "We need to be cautious and not go too fast so as not to undermine everything we've achieved so far," said Vrtovec.
He noted that owners have until 16 June to extend their registration papers. Registrations ran out for about 400,000 vehicles during the last month, he said.
Talking at the daily government statement, Vrtovec said that the vehicle inspection centres will only be able to perform their job if all precautionary measures will be taken.
Clients will have to remain outside the building where the tests are performed, while the person conducting the test will have to sanitise all parts of the car they touch and use a protective cover on the driver's seat.
Vrtovec also expressed satisfaction that companies will be allowed to organise bus commutes for their employees as of Monday. "I'm happy that we've reached this change, giving a hand to the economy, which has found itself in an unenviable position and faces a long recovery after the epidemic."
Here, too, protective measures will have to be taken, including sufficient distance among passengers. Among other things, operators will have to mark the seats where passengers will be allowed to sit. Passengers will have to sanitise their hands upon entry and wear masks, while the drivers will be separated from the passengers.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Simona Kustec said that the ministry would decide next week, whether 4th year secondary schools students would return to schools on 4 May to prepare for the upcoming matura school-leaving exams.
She also said that the ministry was aware of the possibility that education processes will have to be adapted to the epidemic also in the next school year.
Velenje quarantine shutting down
STA, 18 April 2020 - The Paka Hotel in Velenje will no longer serve as quarantine for Slovenians who returned home from Covid-19 hotspots around the globe. On Saturday, the last person who was quarantined there left for home.
The premises will now be disinfected by the Civil Protection services and returned to its owner, the Chinese group Hisense, on Monday, the head of the Western Štajerska Civil Protection Petra Bezjak Cirman told the STA.
Meanwhile, the Epic Hotel in Postojna continues to serve as a quarantine facility, currently housing 17 potential Covid-19 patients.
Notranjska Civil Protection head Sandi Curk told the STA that they managed to get to hotels so as to allow Slovenians driving to Postojna for work to stay there over night.
Curk expects more problems to arise as companies that have been shut down relaunch their production lines, while kindergartens and schools remain close. Currently, volunteers are providing care for 30 children in the region.
