Slovenia becomes first country to declare end of COVID-19 outbreak

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted an ordinance declaring the end of the COVID-19 epidemic effective from 15 May. The country recorded a decline in positive cases.

Hyderabad: Slovenia has become the first European country to declare an end to the coronavirus epidemic. The country's government on Friday said the COVID-19 spread is under control and there is no longer a need for extraordinary health measures.

Since the risk of spreading COVID-19 still persists, the general and specific measures adopted pursuant to the decision on the application of measures under the Communicable Diseases Act will continue to apply based on expert opinion until 31 May 2020.

The current epidemiological situation makes it possible to ease measures that were urgent to contain and control COVID-19, but they cannot yet be totally lifted. The first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 infection was recorded in Slovenia on 4 March 2020, and up to and including 14 May, 1465 confirmed cases of infection were recorded. The cumulative 14-day incidence has been 35 cases, and the effective reproductive number is currently less than one.

In its assessment, the National Institute of Public Health has pointed out that measures to limit the spread of infection include testing, isolating patients, finding contacts, quarantining high-risk close contacts, hand and cough hygiene, and respecting physical distance. The measure of wearing masks or covering the mouth and nose in public enclosed spaces continues to be in force. Moreover, not all children and students will return to schools and nursery schools on Monday, May 18th.

Yesterday, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia also lifted the mandatory seven-day quarantine for EU citizens. At the same time, a 14-day quarantine was introduced for all third-country nationals without a permanent or temporary residence in the European Union. Persons who have permanent or temporary residence in the EU and have left the territory of the EU for more than 14 days.