A total of 684 people in Slovenia are infected with the novel coronavirus, 52 more than on Friday, the country's health ministry reported on Saturday.

Nine people have died of COVID-19 and a total of 19,756 have been tested.

Ljubljana and the southeastern regions of Dolenjska and Bela Krajina are still the epicentres of the disease, and Smarje Pri Jelsah near Celje has the highest number of infected persons in relation to the overall population.

Cases of COVID-19 have been reported in a number of nursing homes and other state-run welfare institutions as well as among police officers and soldiers. Around 100 medical workers are infected as well.