Slovenian epidemiologists have recommended to the government not to ease restrictions because of the presence of the more dangerous Delta variant of the coronavirus in the country, while Health Minister Janez Pokluklar warned on Tuesday that the daily number of infections has been on the rise over the last few days.

According to the Slovenian Health Ministry, 48 new coronavirus cases and one COVID-related death have been registered in the country in the last 24 hours. Hospitals are currently treating 59 COVID patients, 15 of whom have been placed on ventilators.

Minister Pokluklar said that because of the new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus, the gradual lifting of restrictions would be suspended, adding that epidemiologists recommend mandatory wearing of face masks indoors and that only people who have received both vaccine doses, who have a negative test, or who have recovered from COVID-19 in the last six months should be allowed to attend public events and large gatherings.

The more we adhere to the protocols in place, the less it will be necessary to introduce new measures, the health minister said.

According to media reports, the Delta variant is still not widespread in Slovenia, but new cases have been identified as of late, including those among a group of secondary school students who returned from a trip to Spain. They exhibited mild symptoms of COVID-19, similar to the ordinary flu.