Health officials in Poland reported a record number of coronavirus-related deaths on Friday as the first treatments began for patients at a makeshift hospital in the country's national stadium.
The government reported 445 deaths and 27,086 new infections in its latest report. The caseload was the second highest number of in a single day during the pandemic — second only to Thursday’s total.
The figures coincided with the admission of the first patient at a new field hospital located in Warsaw's National Stadium.
The rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases has placed Poland among the 20 most-affected countries in the world.
If the level of infections reaches 70 people per 100,000 or if 30,000 patients are hospitalized, a full national lockdown will take effect, according to the government.
The health ministry said the health care system is facing shortages of hospital beds, equipment and medical personnel.
The health ministry added that, as of Friday, COVID-19 patients occupied 19,479 of 29,407 available hospital beds and were using 1,703 of 2,238 available ventilators.
