March 13 (SeeNews) - The confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Slovenia have jumped to 141 by 2pm local time on Friday, up by 45 since Thursday night, the head of the National Institute of Public Health, Nina Pirnat said.
"The epidemiological situation in Slovenia has entered a second stage, which means that we are limiting social contacts to the biggest possible extend with all measures we are adopting, in order to prevent in the best possible way the spread of the infection," Pirnat told a news conference streamed live on the website of state news agency STA.
Pirnat said that initial data indicate most of the newly confirmed cases are in the capital Ljubljana.
On Thursday evening, Slovenia declared the coronavirus outbreak in the country an epidemic upon recommendation of the National Institute of Public Health, putting the country's Civil Protection Service in charge of coordinating the measures to combat the spread of the virus.
In addition, hospitals started admitting only patients with clinical symptoms requiring hospital treatment, while patients with mild clinical symptoms will have to stay at home.
Slovenia has already taken certain measures to curb the spread of the infection such as work from home, closing of schools, restrictions on border crossings with Italy, and restrictions on public gatherings.