Three new cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed in Slovenia in the last 24 hours, bringing their total number to 19, Health Minister Ales Sabeder said ahead of a National Security Council meeting in Ljubljana on Monday.

A total of 981 people have been tested for the coronavirus in Slovenia to date.

Several universities have cancelled lectures for at least two weeks in an attempt to contain the spread of the disease, and it is expected that new measures will be introduced after the National Security Council meeting.

Croatia has so far reported 12 cases of coronavirus, in three cities – the capital of Zagreb, the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka, and the northern city of Varazdin.

Italy remains the worst-hit country in Europe with nearly 7,380 confirmed infections, while the country’s death toll stands at 366, second only to China where the outbreak began in December last year. The authorities have placed a large part of northern Italy under lockdown, affecting almost 15 million people, and other measures will also be implemented throughout the country.

Classes in schools and universities will be suspended, as well as sports events, while theatres, cinemas, and bars will be closed.

Croatian Health Minister, Vili Beros, said on Monday that the restrictive measures in Italy may trigger new measures in Croatia as well.

“We will see if the new measures in Italy will change anything. If they don’t, Croatia will make some changes on our borders, but we won’t close them. We will also publish new recommendations about public gatherings in the country,” Beros said.

This is the first time Europe is facing something like this, he added. “It’s clear that the EU mechanisms are not adapted to this. We must react faster, make decisions faster… That’s our goal. Everything is under control in Croatia epidemiologically, but that is not the case in Italy.”