Polish government informed on Monday that the number of coronavirus infection cases has gone above 150. So far three people have died after contracting the virus, yet all had suffered from other diseases. Health ministry informed that nearly 800 people were hospitalised with suspicion of the virus, wheres over 10.000 were placed under quarantine.

Due to coronavirus crisis 734 people are being hospitalised, 10.050 are under quarantine, and 30.129 under epidemiological supervision - the Ministry of Health informed on Monday afternoon.

By that time there were 156 cases of coronavirus infection in Poland, of which 3 turned out fatal.

The ministry of health explained that not all of the 734 hospitalised people were coronavirus carriers or suffered from COVID-19 disease. Some of them showed disease symptoms, but it was due to other reasons, such as flu. Only a proper test can determine whether patients have coronavirus of not.

Minister Łukasz Szumowski reassured the network of infectious disease hospitals has been launched and fully operating.

Furthermore, it was announced that 13 people have recovered after contracting coronavirus.

Election date stands

Poland does not plan to change the date of the presidential election scheduled for May 10 due to the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday, as pressure from opposition candidates for a postponement grew. Opinion polls show the ruling nationalists' incumbent, Andrzej Duda, was likely to win a first round by a big margin. He could face stiff opposition in a second round, which would be held on May 24 if he fails to secure more than half the ballots on May 10. If Duda, an ally of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party were to lose, it could threaten the party's plans to continue a judiciary overhaul that has placed Warsaw at loggerheads with Brussels over rule of law standards. Some opposition candidates have called on Morawiecki's conservative government to postpone the vote amid coronavirus-related restrictions in Poland such as school and shop closures and a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. The restrictions have effectively forced candidates to postpone most campaign activities. Morawiecki said there was no need to postpone for the moment, citing a local election that took place in France on Sunday. "France is today in a different situation than Poland, so there are no such plans at the current stage," Morawiecki told a televised news conference.

Rivals call for postponement

Poland has reported 156 cases of the coronavirus so far, with three deaths, compared to more than 5,000 cases and 127 deaths in France. Three presidential candidates - far-right leader Krzysztof Bosak, conservative agrarian Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and a conservative talk-show host, Szymon Hołownia - called for the vote to be rescheduled. The main opposition party, centrist Civic Platform (PO), has said it was too early to make decisions but accused Duda of exploiting his position as president to campaign at a time when other candidates had to curtail rallies. "This is a moment for responsibility, meaning holding back campaign activities other than those on social media. All candidates are doing this except for Andrzej Duda," Adam Szłapka, the spokesman for PO's candidate, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, said.

Autor:gf