Slovenian health authorities have reported 6,012 new cases of infection with coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the test positivity rate being the highest so far and 58.4 percent of 10,299 tests returning positive.

The number of new infections is almost double the number of seven days ago, when 3,360 new infections were reported, the Slovenian Public Health Institute said.

There are currently 66,777 active cases in the country, the 14-day incidence is 3,152 and the average number of daily infections in the past seven days is 6,029.

On Saturday 7,580 new infections were confirmed, the highest daily number of new cases since the start of the pandemic, with 53% of the tests returning positive.

There are 514 hospitalised COVID patients, including 154 in intensive care units. Five more patients have died, which puts the death toll at 5,696.

Epidemiologists warn that the situation in the country, caused by the spreading of the Omicron variant, is still very serious.

Prime Minister Janez Janša has said that the current wave of the epidemic is possible to overcome without new drastic measures and restrictions but only if everyone complies with the restrictions in force and if the vaccination rate is increased.