Ljubljana - Slovenia reported 43 new coronavirus cases for Wednesday in what continues to be a significant decrease on all levels. No Covid-19 patients died, the seven-day average of new daily cases fell to 54 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped to 49, according to fresh official data.

The latest infection numbers (43) come from 2,146 PCR tests for a positivity rate of 2%, the lowest in the second wave of the epidemic.

In addition, 30,629 rapid antigen tests were performed yesterday, with the positive cases double-checked by PCR tests.

The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by seven from the day before and it now stands at 49, show data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ).

The number of hospitalised patients on Thursday stood at 80, down by 3 compared to yesterday, with 28 of them in intensive care, one fewer.

According to data provided by the NIJZ, there are currently a little more than 1,000 active cases in the country, and a total of 608,598 persons have been fully immunised.

This week, 18 cases of the Delta variant of the virus have been confirmed in Slovenia, which puts Slovenia among the countries where the B.1.617.2 strain is not very widespread.

But according to Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, the head of the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, what is worrying is the fact that quite a few cases are not connected to travel. That is why the system of tracing infections is being strengthened.

So far, 20% of positive samples were tested for the new version, while next week all samples will be tested, Žohar Čretnik said.

The Delta strain, originally detected in India, has so far spread to at least 75 countries, especially in Russia and the UK.

In Slovenia, a total of 57 strains of coronavirus have been detected so far.