A total of 1,713 PCR tests and 19,185 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Wednesday. A total of 68 new infections were confirmed by the PCR tests. According to the data released today, the seven-day average is 36, while the 14-day incidence rate is 20. The situation in hospitals remains stable today. A total of 47 COVID-19 beds are occupied, of which 10 are in intensive care units. One COVID-19 patient died yesterday.

More details on the epidemiological situation were presented by the Director of the NIJZ, Milan Krek. He emphasised that global data are already pointing to a new wave of infections mainly due to the spread of Delta variant, despite a stagnation of cases in Europe at the moment. For this time of the year, Slovenia has recorded a high number of infected people. The exponential growth, which may lead to a new outbreak stretching through July, August and September, is cause for concern. The exponential growth of the Delta variant has also been detected. All this shows that it is of crucial importance to carry out two measures in particular: vaccination and all the basic preventive measures (wearing face masks, hand and cough hygiene). Vaccination can prevent deaths in autumn. Mr Krek thanked all who had already been vaccinated, as well as those who have responded to the repeated invitations to be vaccinated. After the slowdown over the last few days, the number of people vaccinated is increasing again, he said.

In the case of secondary school graduates who returned infected from a trip to Spain, he urged the public to be cautious on every trip abroad, as the virus is ubiquitous. At the same time, he called on those who were ordered to quarantine due to risky contacts to fully comply with the measure.

From Saturday, 10 July, changed conditions of entry into the country

At today’s session, the government extended the measures already in force and amended the decree establishing the conditions of entry, which will apply from Saturday, 10 July to Wednesday, 14 July 2021.

There are no changes when entering Slovenia from the so-called green countries.

However, there are some changes for persons entering Slovenia from the countries on the orange list. Anyone holding either a European digital certificate or a digital COVID certificate from a third country will be able to enter the country without being ordered to quarantine. A person who fails to provide adequate proof will be quarantined at home for ten days. A foreigner who is not a resident of Slovenia will only be allowed to enter by being ordered into quarantine and if they can prove beyond any doubt that they have a guaranteed place to quarantine.

A person coming from an area on the red list can enter Slovenia without being referred to home quarantine if they present a certificate of recovery from COVID-19, a certificate of vaccination or a certificate of vaccination for recovered persons. A certificate of recovery and a certificate of vaccination will also be taken into account if they are part of a digital COVID certificate (of the EU or a third country). A person who fails to provide such proof will be quarantined at home for ten days. A foreigner who is not a resident of Slovenia will only be allowed to enter by being ordered into quarantine if they present a negative PCR test result and if they can prove beyond any doubt that they have a guaranteed place to quarantine.

A person coming from an area on the dark red list can enter Slovenia without being ordered into home quarantine if they present a certificate of recovery, a certificate of vaccination or a certificate of vaccination for recovered persons. A certificate of recovery and a certificate of vaccination will also be taken into account if they are part of a digital COVID certificate (of the EU or a third country). A person who fails to provide such proof will be quarantined at home for ten days. If a foreigner is not a resident of Slovenia, they will not be allowed to enter Slovenia.

Amendments to the decree also reduce the number of exceptions for entering Slovenia without being ordered into home quarantine.

Head of the advisory group Logar: All preventive measures remain in place

The head of the expert group, infectologist Mateja Logar, presented the Delta variant of the new coronavirus in more detail. Although this variant mainly affects young people and the course of the disease is mostly mild, she also warned of the transmission of the virus from young people to the elderly population. Because the Delta variant is more contagious than its predecessors, preventive measures are necessary: indoor masks (if the recovered-vaccinated-tested (RVT) criteria are not met), keeping distance, and cough and hand hygiene.