Polish National Foundation, guided by the social responsibility of the organisation and acting in the face of a situation requiring the integration of the objectives and resources of public and commercial entities, and NGOs, intensively supports hospitals, aiming to reduce the effects of the crisis arising from the threat of the coronavirus epidemic to the health and lives of Poles.

We must comply with the introduced restrictions. Unfortunately, last weekend is a proof that not everyone took seriously the rules that we should all obey now - Michał Dworczyk said on Radio Jedynka today. The head of the Office of the Prime Minister also announced that the current restrictions will be more enforced.

"I assure you that support for employers and employees, provided for in the so-called anti-crisis shield, will not be at the expense of families or seniors", the head of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Marlena Maląg said. She added that programs such as "Family 500 plus", "Good start" and the thirteenth pension are not at risk.

The global pandemic is also giving rise to tensions in Polish politics. The opposition is demanding to postpone the presidential elections scheduled for May this year, and this statement is being echoed by more and more politicians from the ruling party.

Due to the state of the epidemic, primary care physicians across the country can give advice over the phone - the director of the National Communication Office of the National Health Fund, Sylwia Wądrzyk informed. She emphasized that patients can get medical advice, receive an e-prescription or e-release without leaving their homes.

The U.S. government today indicted Venezuela’s communist dictator Nicolas Maduro and other top Venezuelan officials on charges of "narco-terrorism”. The indictment is the latest measure taken by the Trump administration to highlight the criminal character of Maduro’s regime.

The first two planes of the Polish National Flag Carrier, LOT Polish Airlines, carrying medical equipment purchased in China by Polish state-controlled mining giant KGHM, have landed in Warsaw. This is a result of arrangements made by President Andrzej Duda with the President of China, Xi Jinping. Within a few days, an air bridge is to be launched between China and Poland, which will enable a systematic supply of ventilators, masks and other types of personal protection equipment used in hospitals during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Polish Tourism Organisation promotes the campaign"Do not cancel the trip, change the date. Let's support tourism!" The campaign gives customers confidence that they will not lose money and the tourism industry will maintain financial liquidity.

The delivery of masks to Italy will soon be realised without problems - the Italian embassy in Poland reported today. In a post on Twitter the embassy also thanked the Polish authorities for cooperation in difficult moments for Italy.

The coronavirus has claimed the lives of seven Polish citizens. The seventh patient was being treated in hospital in the city of Radom. A 37-year-old woman also died this morning in a hospital in Poznań. The Ministry of Health informed on Twitter that 64 new cases of infection were confirmed throughout the country, thus increasing the number of those infected to 627. The Ministry of Health confirmed that, so far, over 15 thousand tests for the presence of coronavirus have been conducted in Poland.

Elections can only be postponed if a state of emergency is formally introduced - deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin emphasized on Wednesday. In his opinion, today there are no reasons to introduce a state of emergency.

The Minister of Health, Łukasz Szumowski announced that the government does not rule out extending the period of social quarantine. "At the end of this week or at the beginning of next week, we will need to decide on the state of epidemic threat," he said.

The number of those infected with the coronavirus have risen to 325, the Polish Ministry of Health has reported. Łukasz Szumowski, the minister of health, appealed to those who might be infected not to report to emergency rooms in person since this may increase the risk of infecting medical staff. Meanwhile, the patient zero in Zielona Góra has made a full recovery and is under observation.

Leading Polish actor Emil Karewicz died today in hospital. Only last week he had celebrated his 97th birthday. He was best known to Polish audiences for his roles as Hermann Brunner in “Stakes Larger Than Life”, as king Władysław Jagiełło in “Teutonic Order”, and as a Gestapo officer in “How I Unleashed World War II”, with one particular scene which serves to this day as an example to non-Polish speakers of the apparent unpronouncability of certain Polish names.

The continuity of production and delivery of goods to stores will be maintained - the Polish Trade and Distribution Organization (Polska Organizacja Handlu i Dystrybucji - POHiD) assured today in a press release. There is no risk of food shortage in the country, the goods will be replenished on a regular basis.

The Polish government introduced the state of epidemiologic threat. What does it mean? In short, all international flights and trains are suspended since Sunday. In addition, gatherings of 50 people or more are now forbidden. All shopping malls, restaurants and pubs will have to be closed since tomorrow. Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open.

The number of coronavirus infections in Poland is increasing, with the latest data confirming 68 cases. President Andrzej Duda said today that there is no government plan to introduce a state of emergency in Poland, adding that this plan is not being considered at this point in time.

The President of the Polish Bishops Conference, Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, has asked priests to increase the number of Sunday masses, so each is attended by fewer worshippers so that the faithful are able to meet the guidelines of the sanitary services on gatherings of large numbers of people. The Archbishop also appealed for prayers to end the epidemic.