English Section

Polish labour inspectors step up checks after COVID-19 spike

05.08.2020 12:17
Polish labour inspectors are carrying out stepped-up checks in companies to make sure employees are safe amid a spike in COVID-19 infections, the country's labour minister has said.
Marlena Maląg, Polands minister for family, labour and social policy.
Marlena Maląg, Poland’s minister for family, labour and social policy. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Marlena Maląg told state news agency PAP that inspectors would be checking whether staff have working conditions that do not expose them to risk.

"The threat is still real. Now we should prepare for a second wave of cases," Maląg said.

Poland on Tuesday reported a record daily rise in coronavirus infections, confirming 680 new cases, the most since the pandemic hit the country in early March.

On Wednesday, officials said a total of 48,789 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Poland, with 1,756 deaths from the COVID-19 respiratory disease so far. The number of new virus cases rose by 640 from the previous day, while the death toll increased by 18, according to public health authorities.

The Polish authorities have warned that some COVID-19 restrictions could be reinstated if cases continued to rise as a result of people flouting public-health guidelines.

Police and sanitary inspectors are checking whether customers in stores and malls have their nose and mouth covered.

Government spokesman Piotr Müller has said penalties will be sharply hiked for people failing to abide by rules introduced to keep the country’s coronavirus outbreak in check.

(pk)

Source: PAP