Slovenia on Monday reported 147 new coronavirus cases. The result came after 1,310 tests have been done over the previous 24 hours, representing a 11.2 percent share of positive results. If the current downward trend continues, local health authorities announced that the country could see a new round of easing of restrictions by the end of this week. 

There are currently 8,949 active cases of Covid in Slovenia. Seven people have died over the last 24 hours, which puts the country’s total Covid-19 death toll to date at 4,293.

According to data released by Slovenia’s ministry of health, 499 Covid-19 patients are receiving treatment in hospital, and the rolling seven-day average of new cases is now 610. This means that if Slovenia keeps its numbers low for the next few days, it could enter the so-called “yellow stage” of the epidemic, officially designated after he number of daily cases drops below 600.

If so, all tourist facilities and high schools will reopen, and universities will switch to in-person classes. The current overnight ban on inter-town travel would also be lifted.

Local experts believe that the green stage, when most of the current restrictions will no longer be necessary, could be achieved in a few weeks. This would require the rolling seven-day average of cases to drop to 300, and that the number of people in hospital care drops to 250.

To date, 23.1 percent of the country’s 4.1 million population has been vaccinated against the disease.