Ljubljana, 15 March - The vast majority of retail and services establishments in Slovenia will close at midnight under a government decree adopted on Sunday to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, post offices, petrol stations, news stands and stores selling agricultural products will remain open.

The decree bans the "sale or goods or services directly to consumers" and applies to accommodation, bars and restaurants, cultural institutions and establishment providing services such as beauty parlours, hair salons and gyms.

Within 24 hours the National Institute of Public health will also issue recommendations about limits to the number of customers that may be in a shop at a given time. The decree does not come with a time limit, it will remain in place until it is revoked.

Many shops, bars and restaurants around the country have already closed in recent days, but in many places people continued to gather and socialise despite government advice that people should keep contact to a minimum to help contain the epidemic.