A total of 498 new coronavirus cases have been registered in Slovenia in the last 24 hours, a sharp drop compared to a week ago, the government reported on Sunday.

Currently, 931 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, and the daily case average for the past week is 1,018.

In the past 24 hours, 11 infected people have died from complications caused by COVID-19, bringing the total death toll to 3,623.

If the positive trends continue and the daily case average falls to below 1,000, Slovenia will enter the so-called orange zone of the epidemic next week when the present restrictions are expected to be eased considerably, according to media reports.

Slovenia has been in lockdown since October.