WARSAW, March 4 (Reuters) - Poland’s biggest oil refiner, the state-run PKN Orlen, jumped into the fight to curb the spread of the coronavirus on Wednesday with plans to produce hand sanitizers to meet growing demand.

Poland confirmed its first coronavirus case on Wednesday morning and some local newspapers have reported shortages of antibacterial gels and sanitizers in some shops.

PKN said the sanitizers, expected to be on the market in two weeks, would be produced by its lubricants unit which also makes automotive oils, plastic greases, fluids and solvents.

“Our laboratories have been working on this for a few days. We are using technical capacities of our company to join action related to protection against coronavirus. We want to respond to Poles’ expectations as soon as possible and increase their security,” PKN Orlen Chief Executive said in a statement.

The company added that 1 million litres of the sanitizer will reach the market within two weeks.

Poland’s state-run news agency PAP quoted the development minister as saying on Wednesday that she estimates the impact of coronavirus on Polish economy at 0.2-0.3% of GDP. (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)