Poland hits daily coronavirus case record

WARSAW: Poland on Wednesday reported 29,978 coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours -- a record since the start of the pandemic -- as the government promised to toughen the current partial lockdown.

There were also 575 Covid-related deaths, the health ministry said.

"The toughest period is ahead of us," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters from a temporary hospital in comments broadcast on Polish television.

Morawiecki said new restrictions over the Easter period would be announced on Thursday.

The previous daily infection record was 27,875 on November 7 last year.

The actual number of infections, including those that were not officially recorded, is believed to have been higher earlier in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

Morawiecki said there was a 75 percent occupancy rate on Covid wards and reserves from the military and fire brigade were being called in to assist medical staff.

Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said the situation was acute in Mazovia, a central region that includes the capital Warsaw, and the industrial region of Silesia in the south.

"Unfortunately, these signals today are prompting us to think very seriously about tightening sanctions. We are considering whether to do it regionally or nationally," Niedzielski told the Wirtualna Polska network.

Poland earlier this month re-imposed a series of restrictions to combat the wave of infections, including shutting schools, shopping malls and theatres.