STA, 2 November 2020 - A total of 25 patients with Covid-19 died in Slovenia on Sunday. There were 557 new coronavirus cases from 2,244 tests, show official government data. Hospitalisations continued to rise.
The number of tests was significantly smaller than a week ago, reflecting the decision by epidemiologists to reduce testing to focus on the most vulnerable groups. The share of positive tests declined to just under 25% from almost 28% on Saturday.
Jelko Kacin, the government's Covid-19 spokesman, told the press on Monday that the figures showed government measures had been timely, but he stressed that Sunday figures in general were atypical. He said it would probably take until Wednesday to see whether and how the curve is flattening.
There are currently 868 patients in hospital compared to 821 yesterday, as 113 new patients were admitted and 50 were discharged from hospital. 135 are in intensive care, up from 131.
Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Kacin said the pressure on hospitals remained severe. Marko Vogrin, the medical director of UKC Maribor, added that the number of hospitalisations would continue to rise in the coming days, with health staff exhausted.
Leon Cizelj, the head of the reactor technology department at the Jožef Stefan Institute and author of an influential model of the epidemic, told the STA yesterday that hospitalisations were expected to peak at around 960 towards the end of this week, while ICU admissions are expected to reach a record of roughly 245 in mid-November.
On the brighter side, an X-ray machine that was moved from the Role field hospital to the outdoor premises of UKC Ljubljana's Infectious Diseases Clinic this weekend will facilitate safer and quicker treatment of Covid-19 patients, said Dimitrij Kuhelj, the head of the hospital's radiology department.
Chest radiograph can be used to diagnose or monitor Covid-19 pneumonia, noted Kuhelj. UKC Ljubljana currently treats some 200 Covid-19 patients.
Slovenia has so far recorded 388 Covid-19 deaths, while the number of positive cases has been 36,206, according to data by the tracker Covid-19 Sledilnik.
The 14-day increase in new cases per 100,000 population, a benchmark widely used in the EU, rose to 1,075, while the number of active cases increased to 22,521.
Third Covid-19 wave to hit in late December
STA, 2 November 2020 - The third wave of coronavirus infections is expected during the flu season at the end of December, said epidemiologist Irena Grmek Košnik on Monday, adding that the influenza period usually lasted until March or April.
"The third wave will be very challenging since doctors will not know whether the patient has the flu or Covid-19. Given that, flu vaccination is of vital importance," said Grmek Košnik, an epidemiologist with the Kranj unit of the National Institute of Public Health, at the government coronavirus briefing.
The epidemiological situation in the Gorenjska region remains poor because as much as 85% of Covid-19 patients there have had a mild case of the disease and felt well, meaning the virus had spread more easily.
Another reason for such an extensive spread of the virus in the region is private gatherings. Moreover, people who had been in close contact with the infected continued to go to work since there was no system of pay compensation in place in such cases between 12 October and last week, said the epidemiologist.
The situation has taken a turn for the better though including due to stricter measures, she added. This was also echoed by Jelko Kacin, the government spokesman, who said the region's infection curve was flattening out.
Regarding two cases of a repeat coronavirus infection in Gorenjska, Grmek Košnik said that further research was needed. Antibodies last for three months after the infection, according to the latest findings, however relevant research is on-going.
Grmek Košnik noted that the role of coronavirus superspreaders had been overlooked. Everybody could be a superspreader, she said, adding that contact tracing app #OstaniZdrav (#StayWell) should thus become mandatory.
Next week, additional rapid antigen tests and contact tracing protocols will help determine superspreaders as well, she told the briefing.
All our stories on covid and Slovenia
