Ljubljana - A total of 1,093 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Slovenia on Tuesday, a record high in the current, fourth wave of the epidemic. The last time the daily number of new infections topped 1,000 was at the end of April, at the peak of the spring wave.

"Today is not an encouraging day, as we have exceeded the milestone of 1,000 infected in the fourth wave," Health Minister Janez Poklukar said on the sidelines of a government visit to the Goriška region on Wednesday.

According to the Covid tracker site Sledilnik, 243 Covid-19 patients are currently in hospital, including 61 in intensive care. Three patients have died.

The National Institute of Public Health estimates that there are now 7,857 active cases in the country, 581 more than the day before.

The 14-day incidence per 100,000 rose by 28 to 370 and the seven-day average of new daily cases was up by 46 to 645.

The share of positive PCR tests topped 21%.

So far, 921,538 people or almost 44% of the population have been fully immunised, according to Sledilnik.