Poland's Ministry of Health reported on Saturday (March 14) evening another 10 coronavirus infection cases. The total number of infections has gone up to 103. Three people have died after contracting the virus.
The second fatal victim of the coronavirus died on Friday in a hospital in Wrocław. The 73-year-old man had been admitted to the ward the previous week and had suffered from a number of other diseases.
The third person who died as a result of coronavirus infection was a 66-year-old man in Lublin. The patient who passed away on Saturday also suffered from other diseases.
The ministry announced that 4414 coronavirus tests have been made so far, over 1.500 tests within the last 24 hours.
President Andrzej Duda said at a press conference in Garwolin there were no premises for introducing emergency state, and thus postponement of presidential election was not considered. "We are ready for any necessary, yet wise solutions" - he added.
Avoid travel abroad
The Polish foreign ministry on Friday advised Poles to avoid unnecessary travel abroad due to the growing coronavirus outbreak but stopped short of issuing a ban as other countries in the region have done. "As at the current stage of development of the coronavirus epidemic no place in the world is risk-free, and in some regions of the world the situation is changing in an unusually dynamic way," the statement ministry said in a statement. "The foreign ministry calls for avoiding any foreign trips that aren't necessary."
Mandatory quarantine
Poland will ban foreigners from entering the country from Sunday and impose a 14-day quarantine on its citizens returning home in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday. "The state will not abandon (its citizens). However, in the current situation, we cannot allow ourselves to keep borders open to foreigners," Morawiecki told a news conference. Those with a residence permit in Poland will be also allowed to enter, he said. But no international inbound flights or trains would be allowed from 0000 CET on Sunday, except for some charter flights bringing Poles back from holidays. Freight transport would not be affected, he said.
Malls partially closed
Morawiecki also said shopping malls would be closed from Saturday except for grocery shops, drugstores and some service outlets, but all shops outside of malls could operate normally. Restaurants, bars and casinos would be shuttered, although food delivery would be allowed. In staunchly Catholic Poland, the latest restrictions will also affect church services. Morawiecki said public gatherings would be allowed only if no more than 50 people were present. Church authorities issued a statement late on Friday saying they would limit attendance in line with the restrictions. While central Europe has fewer confirmed cases of the new virus than its western neighbours, the region's governments have taken some of the swiftest steps to contain the spread, including curbing international travel and closing most schools.
Autorka/Autor: gf
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, Reuters