Ljubljana - A total of 3,829 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, an increase of 124% on the same day a week ago, as hospital data remained broadly stable and five Covid-19 patients died, government data shows.

A total of 550 patients were hospitalised with Covid-19 this morning, eight more than yesterday, as the number of ICU patients increased by one to 161.

Mateja Logar, the government's chief Covid-19 adviser, told Planet TV yesterday 230-250 ICU cases would be the threshold where the Covid-19 advisers would start talking about a potential lockdown.

The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimates 25,752 people are actively infected, an increase of more than 2,700 from the day before.

The 7-day case average rose by 303 to 2,361 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people is up by 127 to 1,213.

More than 10,000 PCR tests and more than 90,000 rapid antigen tests were performed yesterday. The PCR test positivity rate stood at 38%.

Yesterday's caseload includes those from a cluster linked to a New Year's trip to Belgrade. Information on the NIJZ website shows a total of 117 cases had been confirmed in the group returning from the Serbian capital by Wednesday.

TV Slovenija reported that more than 600 holidaymakers and travel agency staff took part in the trip, organised by Colegium Mondial Travel.

NIJZ epidemiologists ascertained that all those who took part in the trip were high-risk contacts. The travel agency said there were 559 such persons. Most have been ordered to self-isolate.