The number of new Covid-19 cases in Slovenia has increased again over the past 24 hours, with almost 16,000 tests conducted and 1,850 positive cases identified, the Slovenian government said on Wednesday, adding that measures may be ramped up again in light of the threat of the new, more potent, virus strain.

After 15,946 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, 1,850 proved to be positive. Nineteen people have died in the past 24 hours as a consequence of the infection.

The government has announced that it will meet later in the day to discuss possible new restrictions.

There are currently 1,144 patients in hospital treatment which is about 10 fewer than the day before, however, the number of new cases has jumped by 138 compared to seven days ago.

The government will analyze data related to the frequency of the UK variant of the virus which was officially confirmed in Slovenia a few days ago. Additional swabs taken earlier indicate that the new strain appeared in Slovenia at the end of December already, local media have reported.

The number of infections in the general population seems to have increased recently while the number of new cases among the elderly is decreasing, particularly in age-care facilities where immunization with the first dose of the vaccine has been conducted.