Poland saw another record rise in coronavirus infections yesterday, with daily reported cases peaking at 16,300 and additional deaths at 130.

Of the new cases confirmed on Tuesday, the vast majority (3,529) were in the central region of Mazowieckie and the city of Warsaw. Record numbers were also reported in the region of Małopolskie and the city of Kraków (1,884) , as well as the city of Poznań and the western province of Wielkopolskie (1,577).

Polish lawmakers last week approved a string of measures aimed at helping the authorities battle the escalating coronavirus epidemic, including increased restrictions on social gatherings and double pay for medics who have to treat COVID-19 patients.

In an address to the Polish Health Congress on Monday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki outlined the main concerns of the Polish government as “the safety and support for seniors, access to treatment for COVID-19 patients, and proper decision-making to shield the economy and Poles’ everyday life from the pandemic fallout.”

Source: Radio Poland, PAP

China to suspend LOT flights over coronavirus fears

Chinese authorities plan to suspend services by Polish national air carrier LOT after coronavirus cases were reported among passengers on a flight to China earlier this month.

The Chinese Civil Aviation Authority, which imposed the ban, said that ten COVID-19 cases were detected on an October 15 flight from Warsaw to Tianjin in northern China. Polish news outlet Onet reported that none of the infected passengers displayed any symptoms of COVID-19 prior to boarding.

The Chinese aviation authority announced that the suspension will apply to the Polish carrier from November 2 until the end of the month. LOT is among several airlines whose flights have been suspended by China. Similar bans were imposed on Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Iran’s Mahan Air.

Source: Radio Poland

Protests continue across Poland

Protests continued across Poland for a sixth straight day yesterday in response to last week’s ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal limiting access to medical abortion.

Here in Trójmiasto, protests beginning in Gdynia around 16:00 were followed by additional protests in the Gdańsk city center. The group “Kontra na Prawicę” and the Pomeranian branch of the Committee for the Defense of Democracy organized a protest before the Regional Court in Gdańsk at 18:00.

Participants in the legal protest later joined several thousand participants at the General Women’s Strike near the Jan Sobieski III monument in Targ Drzewny at 19:00. The march reportedly ended without incident in front of St. Mary’s Basilica later in the evening.

Drivers also continued the “car protest” yesterday evening on the main route between Gdańsk and Gdynia through Sopot, with car horns audible until nearly midnight. Protests are expected to continue throughout the week, with additional demonstrations planned in towns and cities across the country.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Trójmiasto.pl

Polish cyclist takes silver at world championships

Polish mountain biker Maja Włoszczowska is coming home with a silver medal from the Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in Turkey.

The 36-year-old rider, a former cross-country MTB world champion and a two-time Olympic silver medalist, finished runner-up in the women’s race on Sunday, a mere one second behind Switzerland’s Ramona Forchini, who completed the 80.9-kilometer course in 3:42.18.

Another Swiss competitor, Ariane Lüthi, rounded out the podium in third place with a time of 3:43.40.

After the race, Włoszczowska shared a social media post in which she said she lost the gold by a whisker because of a “small mistake at the end…I was extremely motivated for this race. But maybe that’s a sign I still need one more try next year.”

Source: Radio Poland

Weather

Today will be mostly cloudy and cool, with a light breeze coming in from the southwest and a slight chance of rain in the late afternoon and early evening. Temperatures will peak around a high of 11°C (52°F) dropping to an overnight low of 8°C (46°F). The cloudy and cool weather will continue through Friday, with sunny skies and warmer temps expected over the weekend.

Elizabeth Peck/pb