8 June 2020

Poland saw a record spike in new confirmed coronavirus cases over the weekend, with most of the hundreds of infections reported by the health ministry linked to a coal mine in the country's south.

The 1,151 new cases - 576 of them registered Saturday and 575 on Sunday (Jun 7) - marked the EU country's highest consecutive two-day total thus far.

Nearly two-thirds of those newly infected in Poland, which depends on coal to generate some 80 per cent of its power, are employees of the Zofiowka mine and their family members, according to the health ministry.