Sasin told a press conference that two mines run by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW) and ten operated by Polska Grupa Górnicza will be closed from June 9.
"This is a temporary suspension of work in mines in which we have recorded coronavirus infections, but in which the workers have not yet all been tested," he said. The miners affected would continue to receive their full salaries.
News service Euronews reported that a tenth of Poland's confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded since the beginning of the outbreak have occurred at coal mines with a rapid acceleration over the past weekend.
It cited JSW saying June 8 that 2,771 COVID-19 infections had been detected at its Polish mines.
PFG launched a large testing effort in May after three of its mines had been suspended.
