The State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Simona Repar Bornšek, said that to date 498 persons had been tested for coronavirus infection in Slovenia and a total of seven cases had been confirmed. She added that all the necessary measures had been taken and that the situation was under control. The occurrence of the coronavirus in Slovenia was expected, the necessary measures have been taken and they are also being implemented. Some of the measures are being supplemented. The recommendations and protocols have remained unchanged. The number of tests taken significantly increased yesterday, added Ms. Repar Bornšek, and she therefore asked everyone arriving at entry points to be tolerant, as they needed to wait for some time to be tested.

It was agreed that no visitors would be permitted in any hospitals and residential homes for the elderly, but there might be certain exceptions. Schools, preschool institutions and other educational institutions are operating normally, and no upcoming public events been cancelled. It has, however, been recommended that people suffering from acute illnesses, older people and susceptible individuals should not visit such events.

In respect of the sixth infected person, epidemiologist Zoran Simonovič explained that the patient was a younger man who had become infected on a trip abroad. He was travelling with a small group in northern Italy. It was not until Wednesday afternoon that he noticed symptoms of fever, and from that time on he has not gone to work and stayed at home. All persons who had been in contact with him were provided with the necessary instructions, stated Simonovič.

Nina Gorišek, Head of the Department for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions at the Maribor University Medical Centre, said that the patient had been hospitalized and had a mild clinical picture. He is employed at the Maribor University Medical Centre, where all the necessary measures have been taken. Patients stationed at the Medical Centre were not exposed to him. He was, however, in close contact with some doctors and nurses who had been transferred to other posts, where they would not be in contact with hospital patients.

"According to our considerable knowledge of coronavirus, we know that coronavirus patients are contagious on the day they become ill. Due to safety reasons we checked the patient's entire workday schedule and all his contacts, and identified those who were at risk. They were provided with the necessary instructions. Testing will take place in accordance with the protocol. The incubation period from possible infection to an outbreak of the disease is between two and 14 days. A test performed immediately after contact with a person infected with coronavirus therefore cannot give an answer as to whether the virus has been transmitted," emphasised Ms. Gorišek.