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Poland to restart coal mines as virus fears diminish

30.06.2020 14:45
Poland will soon resume full-scale production at its coal mines after coronavirus hot spots in the country's mining industry have been contained, a deputy prime minister said on Tuesday.
Jacek Sasin
Jacek SasinPolskie Radio

Officials at the start of this month announced a temporary shutdown of 12 of Poland’s coal mines after coronavirus infections spiked in the country’s southern Silesia coal region.

Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin said in a media interview on Tuesday that “the period of suspension of production in the Silesian mines will end during the next few days.”

Sasin, who also serves as minister for state assets, told public broadcaster Polish Radio that the number of infections in the mines was now “much lower than before.”

“We can say that these outbreaks have been contained," he declared.

Officials have previously told reporters that most of the Polish miners testing positive for the novel coronavirus were asymptomatic.

The Polish health ministry on Tuesday reported 239 new SARS-CoV-2 virus infections, including 84 in the southern Silesia coal region.

A total of 34,393 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Poland since the country confirmed its first infection on March 4, according to public health authorities.

By Tuesday morning, Poland's total death toll from the COVID-19 respiratory disease had reached 1,463.

(gs/pk)

Source: IAR, PAP