A total of 1,113 new coronavirus infections and seven related fatalities have been recorded in Slovenia in the last 24 hours, the country's government said on Monday.

The latest figures come amid a very critical period of the epidemic due to which a lockdown was imposed on Saturday to last a minimum seven days, while a ban on movement outside one’s place of residence will be introduced on Tuesday.

With the latest infections the total number of infections since the start of the epidemic has increased to 24,063, of which 15,230 are active cases. The 14-day incidence has increased to 727 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients has continued to grow, with 523 patients receiving hospital treatment, of whom 82 are in intensive care units. With the latest fatalities, the number of deaths related to Covid-19 has increased to 248.

“If possible, stay at home, only that way can we make the epidemiological curve start to go down,” government spokesman Jelko Kacin said.

The situation is difficult and is changing by the hour, he said, adding that the government was considering emergency measures to increase hospital capacity.

Kacin also called on citizens to comply with epidemiological measures consistently as the government no longer had “maneuvering space” for new, stricter measures.

Health Minister Tomaz Gantar on Sunday evening issued an order suspending all non-emergency procedures, including preventive health programmes, to give priority to Covid-19 patients.

He said that doctors who have private practices, interns and registrars would be invited to join in and help medical workers in hospitals.