
Poland reported 13,632 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, the country’s highest number since the pandemic began and more than a 50% increase on Monday’s 7,482 cases.
The Ministry of Health also reported a further 153 deaths related to Covid-19, the second-highest number since the start of the pandemic. Poland now has a total of 228,318 confirmed cases and 4,172 deaths.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Twitter that more than 10,000 of the country's 18,000 hospital beds are currently occupied.
While there is "some buffer," he added: "the pace of the increase is making us very concerned. If the curve is not flattened and new cases continue to rise, we will have to introduce drastic measures such as closing the borders, restrictions on movement or a deeper lockdown.”
More restrictions: From Saturday, the government said the entire country will be placed in a “red zone” and new restrictions will be implemented.
They include: remote learning for all but the youngest pupils and students; requirement for youths up to 16 years of age to be accompanied by an adult in public spaces between 8 a.m to 4 p.m.; closing restaurants except for takeaway or delivery; a maximum of five people from outside a household allowed to meet in public spaces; restrictions on the movement of people of the age of 70.