Poland Records 100,000 COVID-Related Deaths

More than 100,000 people have died in Poland from Covid since the start of the pandemic, the government said Tuesday, as the mortality rate in the country is among the highest in the world.

“It’s another sad day but particularly so today because we have crossed the threshold of 100,000 deaths,” Health Minister Adam Niedzielski told news channel TVN24.

Niedzielski said the most recent daily data showed 493 people had died, which would bring the total toll to 100,254 deaths, and pointed out there were 18,000 people currently in hospital.

According to a tally compiled by AFP with the latest available data, Poland has reported 14.31 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days — the sixth-highest level in the world after Trinidad and Tobago, Moldova, Georgia, Hungary and San Marino.

The level in neighbouring Germany is 4.31 in 26th place.

Only around 63 percent of Polish adults are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — one of the lowest levels in the EU.

The government has encouraged Poles to get vaccinated but has been criticised by the opposition for not taking stronger action by for example introducing requirements for vaccine certificates.

The highest total of Covid-related deaths in the EU so far is in Italy at over 139,000, followed by France, Germany, and Poland.