Ljubljana - The government was expected to start easing coronavirus restrictions this week, but the only step it has decided to take is to waive the quarantine requirement for those in high-risk contact with an infected person effective on Saturday and end contact tracing.

"We will ease the restrictions gradually and thoughtfully," Health Minister Janez Poklukar told the press after a cabinet session on Friday.

He said a new round of consultations with experts would be completed before the government reconvenes to take a decision, which he said would hopefully come "as soon as possible".

While he admitted the situation was rapidly improving, the minister said hospitalisations were still high and Slovenia had the second highest number of Covi9-19 patients per capita in the world.

At a meeting earlier this week, the government's medical advisers proposed the gradual abolition of the Covid pass for shops, banks, post offices and administrative units, and the abolition of quarantines in case of high-risk contacts as well as contact tracing.