schema:articleBody
| - Slovenia has reinstated the mandatory use of face masks in indoor spaces after recording a rise in coronavirus cases following the lifting of restrictions earlier this month. People will once again be required to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces and on public transport -- and disinfect their hands when entering those spaces. "This measure is urgent, it's necessary, since it has proved to be effective in the past," Health Minister Tomaz Gantar told journalists after a meeting of the government. The decision to re-impose restrictions would be revisited in 14 days, he added. The measures had been lifted at the beginning of June after weeks of comparatively good coronavirus news for Slovenia. The Alpine EU state of two million people, which borders Italy, has so far registered just 1,541 cases and 109 deaths. But officials were concerned at 38 new infections recorded last week, up from 15 the week before. Officials say most of the recent cases were either people who had arrived from abroad -- mainly from Bosnia and Serbia -- or their relatives. "We gave up control a little bit," Gantar said, adding that there had been a lot of pressure to lift the restrictions. The government also said that it had prepared a bill to put before parliament to introduce a mobile phone application to help track coronavirus cases. They want to make its use mandatory for anyone infected. Also on Wednesday, Slovenia added Portugal and Albania to the list of countries from which arrivals will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, bringing the total number of such countries to 36. Slovenia's move comes a day after Bulgaria also reimposed the compulsory wearing of face masks in enclosed public spaces. It too has seen a surge in infections since it scrapped the requirement to wear masks two weeks ago. bk/jsk/jj
|