Mateja Logar, infectologist from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, and Jelko Kacin, the Government spokesperson, provided the latest information on the COVID-19 situation in Slovenia.
In Sunday, 1,404 tests were performed and 169 infections were confirmed, which means that the positive test rate is at 12 per cent. Two patients died. A total of 172 patients are currently in hospital, of which 26 are in intensive care units. The number of positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14-day period is 164. This indicator is the highest in the Koroška region with 247 cases, followed by the Gorenjska region with 250 cases and the Zasavje and Osrednjeslovenska regions with 183 cases each, stated Kacin.
A comparison with two neighbouring countries shows that the 14-day incidence in Italy is 52 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants, but the number of new cases has been growing from day to day, yesterday reaching 5724, which approaches the record daily numbers from the first wave. The incidence in Austria is 132 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants, but the trajectory of infections is turning downwards and the situation is stabilising.
UMC Ljubljana is preparing for the need to further increase the number of beds for COVID-19 patients within its organisational units, Logar announced. Specifically, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is being prepared for this purpose. The infectologist also spoke about the comparison between influenza and COVID-19 and pointed out that the treatment of two such patients in the intensive care unit is similar in terms of the number of medical staff required.
Government spokesperson Kacin’s recommendation to the public was that employees should work from home if their work process allows it. Grocery shopping should be less frequent. Individuals should cancel social events and celebrations. Hand and coughing hygiene, maintaining distance from each other and wearing a mask in all enclosed spaces and everywhere else where a suitable distance cannot be maintained are required. Kacin recommended use of the #Ostani Zdrav application.
