Ljubljana - Due to the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, the government decreed today that passengers arriving in Slovenia from seven countries in southern Africa are required to take three PCR tests during mandatory 10-day quarantine.

The government imposed mandatory self-isolation on persons residing in or visiting South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe in the past 14 days before entering Slovenia on Saturday. Foreigners without residence in Slovenia arriving from those countries are banned from entry.

The government has now imposed an additional rule requiring of those arrivals to take a PCR test on entering Slovenia and repeat it on the 5th and 10th day after being ordered to self-isolate at home. They cannot end the mandatory self-isolation early regardless of the test result.

Those who had been in the countries for 14 days before the new regulation came into force must report to emergency services by dialling the number 113, after which they will be ordered to self-isolate at home for 10 days. They are required to take a PCR test right after making the call and on the final day of self-isolation.

The government also recommends for travellers from countries not on the list but where Omicron has been confirmed to take a rapid test on arriving in Slovenia.