STA, 18 October 2020- Prime Minister Janez Janša said on Twitter that a 30-day epidemic would be declared for the entire Slovenia, starting on Monday. He added a government correspondence session was currently under way.
The announcement comes as the government is discussing the coronavirus situation with the Health Ministry task force in Brdo pri Kranju.
Government spokesman Jelko Kacin told public broadcaster RTV Slovenija that the epidemic would be officially declared on Monday but that the same measures would apply as so far.
After Slovenia has already passed the 14-day average of 140 cases per 100,000 residents and 250 hospitalisations, two of three indicators beyond which the government said it would declare an epidemic, the last one - 50 patients needing intensive care - was probably passed during the day, as the last available figures put the number of patients needing intensive care at 49.
blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Od jutri naprej bo za 30 dni za celo Slovenijo razglašena epidemija. Teče ds @vladaRS pic.twitter.com/JJ6ira4Px3
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) October 18, 2020Nagovor državljankam in državljanom pic.twitter.com/jA8bFTMCXN
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) October 18, 2020
A total of 265 Covid-19 patients were said to be in hospital and the 14-day cumulative rate of infection per 100,000 people reached 328.
The share of coronavirus tests that came back positive yesterday exceeded 19% for the first time, as 726 cases were confirmed in 3,765 tests.
The prime minister urged the citizens to be responsible and thus help the medical staff in the battle against Covid-19 in a video address earlier this evening.
In the first wave of coronavirus infections, the epidemic in Slovenia lasted from 12 March until the end of May. When the epidemic was declared, 17 people were in hospital, including two in intensive care.
The number of people in hospitals increased to over 100 at the end of March, while the number of patients in ICU peaked at 37 on 10 April. On the last day of the epidemic, five Covid-19 patients were in hospital, with one person needing intensive care.
Slovenia started recording two-digit figures again in July, and a significant surge happened in mid-September. On 3 October, the number of patients topped 100.
All our stories on covid and Slovenia
