by P.T.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Jože Podgoršek has outlined measures to soften the impact and eliminate the consequences of Covid-19 in the Sixth Coronavirus Package (PKP6).
Yesterday a total of 6,767 tests were carried out and 1,925 cases confirmed, 274 fewer than the day before, with a positivity rate of 28.4%, which is one percentage point lower than the figure for Tuesday, said Kacin. The virus reproduction rate currently stands at 0.91.
There are currently 1,210 Covid patients receiving hospital treatment, a rise of 18 on the day before. Of this number, 200 are in intensive care, two fewer than on Tuesday. On Wednesday, 93 Covid patients were discharged from hospital and 41 patients died (31 in hospital, 10 in care homes).
The figures on the number of new positive cases, broken down by municipality, are as follows: Murska Sobota 32, Ptuj 30, Beltinci 24, Lendava 23, Radenci 21. Figures for Gorenjska: Kranj 61, Tržič 28, Radovljica 24, Šenčur 19, Železniki 13, Preddvor 12, Kamnik 58, Domžale 30, Grosuplje 23, Ivančna Gorica 18, Mengeš 15. Other municipalities around the country: Novo Mesto 44, Trbovlje, Kočevje 27, Trebnje 20, Brežice 16, Velenje 49, Celje 35, Slovenj Gradec 31, Slovenska Bistrica 27, Žalec 21, Ljubljana 221, Maribor 81.
Podgoršek stressed that the proposed Sixth Coronavirus Package would, among other things, provide financial compensation to the agricultural sector as a result of the fall in farm income, and cover the costs of staff absences in the meat processing industry. Renewed help to the winemaking sector was also planned using measures already set out. Financial compensation will be provided to sectors with an expected drop in income exceeding 30%. Simplified procedures have been introduced for claiming compensation, as official records provide the Agency for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development with most of the information it requires to process claims. Beneficiaries will be able to inspect and respond to the informative calculations.
Compensation to those working in the meat processing industry, which has seen large numbers of infections in Slovenia and elsewhere, will comprise coverage of the costs of absence due to illness or the requirement to self-isolate.
Additional help is also planned for the winemaking sector in the form of the co-financing of emergency distillation and wine storage or green harvesting.
As the epidemic has also affected implementation of measures under the rural development programme, deadlines for the repayment of investments have been extended, thus making it possible for approved applications to be extended or amended.
Summing up, the minister called on Slovenes to refrain from celebrating St Martin’s Day with anyone but their closest family.
(Source: gov.si)