The Slovenian government decided to impose a lockdown on March 28 that includes an overnight curfew and online teaching, to prevent the spread of the British COVID-19 variant.

The decision was taken to help hospitals cope with an expected influx in patients following an increase in coronavirus transmission rates driven by the British strain of the virus.

Most of the measures will be valid from April 1 to 11. The curfew will be imposed from 10 pm to 5 am.

Distance learning is back, but emergency care will be provided for children in kindergartens and pupils from 1st to 3rd grade if their parents are employed in key sectors.

The government also decided to close non-essential stores and services, while most of the public administration will work from home.

All events, gatherings, celebrations and weddings are temporarily prohibited as well as sport activities except for individual sports.

Movement between regions is temporarily restricted.

Prime Minister Janez Jansa said at the news conference that at the current pace of vaccination a "serious percentage" of vaccinated people could be reached in June or early summer, and until then additional measures must be taken to prevent the spread of the British variant.

Slovenia will additionally step up restrictions on its borders from March 29 until April 12 in advance of an Easter lockdown. Jansa cited the alarming situation in some Western Balkans countries as the reason.

According to the latest data Slovenia recorded 640 infections on Saturday and 1,253 on Friday.