Polish minister tests positive for coronavirus

Poland's Environment Minister Michal Wos said on Monday that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The test was conducted after a forestry official he met earlier was confirmed carrying the virus. Wos, aged 29, said in a tweet that he went into isolation and that he felt fine.

The meeting, during which Wos was likely infected by the forestry official, took place over a week ago at the Chancellery of the President.

Wos was installed there by President Andrzej Duda on March 9 as the new Environment Minister.

A spokesperson of the Chancellery told Polish news portal Onet that it was "unlikely" President Duda had any direct contact with the official, who tested positive late last week.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that the government is not planning to postpone the presidential elections, scheduled on May 10, despite campaigns remaining suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Polish measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 kicked in on Sunday. The number of confirmed cases grew from 68 on Friday to 177 on Monday.

Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski said in an interview with Polish news channel TVN24 that the epidemic will reach its peak "in two or three weeks," and that 10,000 hospital beds are being prepared to be available to receive patients.