Poland reports record daily spike in coronavirus cases and deaths

As of Wednesday, COVID-19 patients occupied 6,084 hospital beds and were using 467 ventilators, compared with 5,669 and 421 respectively a day earlier, the Health Ministry said. Poland's ruling nationalists have prided themselves on acting swiftly and containing the pandemic in the spring, when the government launched strict curbs on social life, closing schools and shopping malls among other measures.

Poland reported a record 6,526 new coronavirus infections and 116 deaths on Wednesday and doctors warned the healthcare system was becoming overloaded.

The country of 38 million has now recorded 141,804 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,217 deaths. As of Wednesday, COVID-19 patients occupied 6,084 hospital beds and were using 467 ventilators, compared with 5,669 and 421 respectively a day earlier, the Health Ministry said.

Poland's ruling nationalists have prided themselves on acting swiftly and containing the pandemic in the spring, when the government launched strict curbs on social life, closing schools and shopping malls among other measures. But the opposition and doctors have accused the cabinet of not preparing the health system for a second wave and the spike in COVID-19 patients.

"I don't have any good information. We are on the brink of disaster," immunologist Pawel Grzesiowski told private radio RMF. He said Poland should be doing more testing, closing schools and supporting doctors in their fight against the pandemic. Instead, he said, it was trying to blame doctors for the difficult situation. The government spokesman said the situation for hospital patient care was under control.

"The next few days will show whether the situation requires further steps," the spokesman told television broadcaster TVN24. On Tuesday the government said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had tested negative for COVID-19 and would continue to quarantine after coming into contact with a person who tested positive.

Broadcaster Polsat News said on Wednesday Zygmunt Solorz, one of the country's richest men and owner of the television station, had tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier this week the chief executive of state investment fund PFR said he was ill with the virus and other officials and business leaders have said they have tested positive.