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Coronavirus: Poland toward presidential vote, with caution

(ANSA) - WARSAW, JUNE 26 - Poland prepares for the presidential election next Sunday when the mayor of Warsaw Trzaskowski will challenge the outgoing Andrej Duda, but the pandemic does not give up. In two municipalities, where the situation is more worrying, the vote will be held exclusively by mail-in-voting. According to the latest updates, the Ministry of Health has recorded 285 people newly infected today (298 yesterday) and 17 deaths (16 yesterday). About 33,395 people have tested positive to Coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country, and 14,129 have died. The National Electoral Commission, upon recommendation of the Minister of Health, decided that in two municipalities (out of a total of 2,500 municipalities) due to the virus, the vote will take place exclusively by mail-in-voting. In all the other municipalities it is possible to choose whether to go to the polling station or vote by mail. The country's health authorities underlined that the rules of social distancing and hygiene must be respected at the polling stations. Furthermore, the use of face masks is mandatory, and everyone should wear gloves and bring a pen from home. The 27,000 polling stations will open on Sunday at 7 am and will close at 9 pm. The possible (and very probable) second round of the elections will take place on July, 12. Poles can also vote abroad, in Italy exclusively by mail-in-voting. (ANSA).