According to Slovenian media reports on Friday, government ministers are divided on whether to impose a strict lockdown or mild restrictions to combat the ongoing surge in Covid cases in the country.

Over the past 24 hours 3,771 new cases have been confirmed, health authorities said, down from Thursday’s all-time high of 4,511 cases. Nine more Covid patients have died. Over the past week the average number of new cases reported per day was 2,683, and the 14-day incidence is 1,604. Some 53.2 percent of Slovenia’s total 2.1m population has been vaccinated so far. There are currently 735 Covid patients in hospital care, including 169 in intensive care units.

Slovenian experts say that “lockdown and declaring a state of epidemic emergency once again is the only solution to the rapidly deteriorating situation” as about 200 patients are expected to be in intensive care by the end of next week, Croatian state agency Hina said, citing local media reports.

According to reports, Health Minister, Janez Poklukar, is in favor of these measures, and has allegedly threatened to resign unless “decisive measures” get adopted. “Ministers representing the interests of the economy, on the other hand, are against another lockdown,” Hina said, without clarifying.

According to “unofficial reports” cited by Hina, Slovenia’s Health Ministry has contacted authorities in Italy, Hungary, Austria, and Germany about possibly sending Slovenian intensive care patients there for treatment. “However, such international aid may be requested only if a state of epidemic is declared again,” Hina explained.