Star football player Robert Lewandowski has appealed to Poles via social media to follow the recommendations of authorities and stay at home if possible to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.
Similar appeals have come from another Polish football player, Grzegorz Krychowiak, as well as singers Kayah and Cleo, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
Ten more confirmed cases of coronavirus infection were reported in Poland on Friday, bringing the country’s total to 61, with one death from the illness so far.
Poland’s government on Wednesday announced that all schools, universities, nurseries, cinemas, theatres and museums would be closed in a stepped-up effort to contain the new SARS-CoV-2 virus.
A day earlier, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that large public gatherings were being banned across the country.
President Andrzej Duda has appealed in a televised address for people not to panic but act responsibly as infections rise.
Under special rules that came into force in Poland earlier this month, employers can instruct employees to work from home.
The World Health Organisation declared on Wednesday that the global coronavirus outbreak was a pandemic, voicing alarm over mounting infections worldwide and urging governments to step up containment efforts.
The number of worldwide cases has topped 135,000 and deaths exceeded 4,900, the PAP news agency reported on Friday.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP