Over the last 24 hours there have been 3,662 new cases of the infection with coronavirus, and 23 Covid-related deaths in Slovenia, the country's health authorities reported on Thursday.

The Covid-related death toll has thus reached 5,000. There are now 45,395 active cases, the National Institute of Public Health reported.

On Thursday, Slovenian hospitals treated 1,104 Covid patients, eight more than on Wednesday. As many as 253 were in intensive care wards.

The hospitals are being filled to capacity, doctors warn, urging Slovenians to get vaccinated, or the epidemic will not end before next May.