Following an uptick to about 2,000 cases on Tuesday, daily coronavirus infections recorded in Slovenia fell to 1,685 in 5,991 tests performed on Wednesday. The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients however increased from 979 to 1,023 and 30 people died, both new highs. The number of patients in intensive care rose by 3 to 161, a new record too.
The share of positive tests, at 28.1%, decreased by four percentage points on Tuesday, government spokesperson Jelko Kacin pointed out. According to him, the rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents fell to 1,114, which he said was a good sign.
He added the reproduction number had fallen to 1.11 on 4 November, from 1.14 on 3 November, 1.17 on 2 November and 1.21 on 1 November.
According to the latest data on tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org, Slovenia’s coronavirus case count has increased to over 41,000, with an estimated 23,432 cases still active on Wednesday. The death toll stands at 471.
Kacin said the the number of infections has also increased in care homes, with 101 new cases among residents on Wednesday contributing to 1,133 active infections among them.
He announced a government session would take place today following which another press conference will be held to present potential changes to coronavirus measures. He expects the existing restrictions will be extended, as “no risk is permissible in the face of such numbers”. He does allow for the possibility of some measures changing.
Meanwhile, also on hand at the morning briefing was Matjaž Jereb of UKC Ljubljana’s infectious diseases clinic, who stressed that the 160 critically ill patients were more double the figure in the entire spring wave of the epidemic when 72 patients needed intensive treatment.
Jereb, who heads the intensive care department at the clinic, expressed hope that the general figures presented today hold and that Slovenia has reached the peak of the second wave.
He warned that the number of hospitalisations would continue to grow, as patients arrive with a week’s delay, which is how long it usually takes for complications to develop.
“We expect the number of hospitalisations to peak in a week or two, with the possibility of an additional delay for the intensive care peak. Everything will be clear by the end of November,” Jereb assessed.
He sees the bed availability situation as alarming, warning that while additional beds were being provided this could not go on indefinitely.
There is also a shortage of healthcare staff, with staff falling ill and being exhausted as well. Some issues are also emerging with access to medicinal equipment, with Jereb highlighting infusion pumps.
Meanwhile, the press quizzed spokesperson Kacin about the decision on how the education process will be resumed next week following two weeks of holidays, but Kacin could not yet provide any details.