Ljubljana - A total of 16,654 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Wednesday as 8,702 PCR and 120,515 rapid antigen tests were examined, reported the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), which has estimated that there are now 193,086 active cases in the country.

The seven-day average of new daily cases increased by 374 to 15,111, while the 14-day case notification rate is up by 310 to 9,161, show the latest figures by the NIJZ.

A total of 425 patients are hospitalised with Covid-19 as their main condition at regular wards, up by 18 on the day before, while the number of patients at intensive care units (ICU) dropped by five to 113.

A total of 19 Covid-19 patients died on Wednesday, the government added.

The estimated number of active cases in the country was up by more than 6,500 compared to the day before.

A new rule was introduced on 1 February under which rapid tests are automatically added to the tally without being double-checked with the more precise PCR tests.