STA, 25 October 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has announced a ban on movements between municipalities will be imposed for the whole country starting from Tuesday in response to the surge in coronavirus. [Ed. Assume this means from midnight Monday]
"The restriction will be initially in force for 7 days for the whole country, and will be eased gradually by regions that will first curb the epidemic," Janša said on his Twitter profile.
"Let's do everything to limit contacts to the minimum and so that restrictions can be lifted as soon as possible. Protect lives, health and prosperity," reads Janša's tweet with the hashtag We Can Do It.
Janša said that exceptions to the ban outside the municipality of residence would as those valid during a similar ban in spring.
The exceptions are thus expected to be similar as for the ban on movements between regions already in force and include commute to work, travel for the purposes of business, farming, access to health services and pharmacies, caring for or assisting a close relative, and seeing to a property.
In justifying the ban, Janša noted that the numbers of Covid-19 patients are rising, so additional measures were being imposed from the government plan to control the epidemic.
Janša referred to an earlier announcement by Health Minister Tomaž Gantar that more tan 700 beds for Covid-19 patients would soon be ready with talks under way to secure a further 300 if necessary.
"Activities to secure healthcare capacities continue uninterruptedly. Including in spas and hotels. No need for tents and fairgrounds," Janša said.
The latest government data show that there are currently 508 patients hospitalised with Covid-19, including 71 in intensive care units.
Slovenia reported 1,675 new coronavirus cases for Saturday for the total case count of 22,952, as the number of active cases increased to 14,288. The death toll increased by six to 241.
The spring ban on movements between municipalities has been challenged at the Constitutional Court, which has given its clearance for the measure.
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