Polish President Andrzej Duda tests positive for COVID-19
Polish President Andrzej Duda has tested positive for coronavirus and has gone into quarantine, the president's spokesman announced Saturday. Duda, 48, is feeling "fine" and was tested on Friday, according to spokesman Blazej Spychalski, who will also go into isolation.
Duda updated the nation in a Twitter video on Saturday, saying that he does not have any symptoms, including loss of taste or smell. "I feel very well at the moment," he said, adding that he has "energy" and will continue to work from home, where he is quarantining with his wife and family.
Duda also apologized to people who came in contact with him this week, saying he would have canceled the meetings if he had any symptoms. He said he hopes he did not infect anyone. It is unclear when Duda contracted the virus.
"Please, look after the elderly," Duda concluded. "I'm asking you to be very careful," with the holidays coming up. Finally, he thanked the people of Poland for sending nice messages and urged people to stay home.
Duda joins a handful of world leaders who have contracted the virus, including U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Duda attended an event in Tallinn on Monday, where he met with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, BBC News reported. He also visited a hospital that is under construction in the National Stadium in Warsaw, the nation's capital. Images from the visit showed him wearing a face mask.
Duda also met with 19-year-old tennis star Iga Swiatek, who won this year's French Open, to award her the Gold Cross of Merit for achievements in sport. Swiatek tweeted Saturday morning that she does not have symptoms of COVID-19, nor do any members of her team, adding that they are regularly tested.
Swiatek said she and her team are now quarantining and will take another test in three days.
Coronavirus cases are surging in Poland, which hit a new daily record on Friday with over 13,632 new confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. The country also hit a record high number of deaths on Thursday, with 168.
The number of patients who need hospital beds in the country rose by 6.5% on Friday, BBC News reported, adding that 60% of available hospital beds are currently in use.
New restrictions also ban gatherings of more than five people. Officials are urging people over the age of 70 to stay home.
