A total of 1,731 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Slovenia after 6,657 tests performed in the last 24 hours as well as 41 related deaths, the largest number in a single day to date, the Slovenian government reported on Saturday morning.

The number of infections confirmed since the outbreak of the epidemic in the country in early March has now reached 54,116, of which 19,803 are still active. The 14-day incidence rate is 945 and the death toll has climbed to 765.

The situation in hospitals remains critical as 1,224 infected people require hospital treatment and 201 of them have been placed on ventilators.

The government expects that the latest restrictions, which will be in place over the next two weeks, will help reduce the daily number of new infections and new hospitalisations.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Slovenia ranks fourth in terms of the COVID-19 mortality rate, after the Czech Republic, Belgium and Hungary, Slovenian media said on Saturday.