Number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 286 by 2pm, up by 13 in a day
Ljubljana, 18 March - 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.
Šempeter pri Gorici
The coronavirus epidemic not letting up.
Photo: Rosana Rijavec/STA
File photo
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.