Poland Reports Most Covid Deaths in 5 Weeks Even as Cases Slow

(Bloomberg) --

Poland reported 18 new coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, the most in a day since June 30, taking the total to 1,756 as an outbreak in the country's industrial heartland worsens.

The pace of new cases slowed from Tuesday's record 680, rising by 640 to 48,789, mostly in the southern coal mining region of Silesia and at a poultry processing company in the western district of Wielkopolska.

The government expects about 600 new cases per day in the next period, Wojciech Andrusiewicz, a spokesman for the health ministry told reporters on Wednesday. Authorities will soon announce new restrictions, including on restaurants and weddings, to fight the epidemic in 20 particularly affected counties, he said.

“The risk of a partial lockdown -- geographically or sectorally limited -- is increasing,” ING Bank Slaski SA economists said in a morning note for clients before the data was published on Wednesday.

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