Poland will report a record 36,665 daily Covid-19 cases, a deputy health minister said, as an Omicron-driven fifth wave of infections takes hold.

Authorities have warned that the latest wave of the pandemic will drive case numbers to levels as yet unseen in the European Union's largest eastern member, putting severe strain on the health service, Reuters reports.

“In the coming days we will also have very high results, it worries us,” Waldemar Kraska told private broadcaster Radio Plus, adding that daily cases would top 50,000 next week. A week ago daily cases were just over 16,000.