Poland confirmed a record 545 new coronavirus (COVID-19) infections on April 19, just one day before the Law and Justice (PiS) government announced it was easing some of the restrictions imposed countrywide to contain the epidemic.

The record spike in new cases brings Poland’s coronavirus tally to 9,287, including 360 fatal cases, according to an update from the health ministry. The increase in the number of cases was likely an effect of new outbreaks, two in care homes and another one in a hospital, a spokesman for the ministry told state news agency PAP.

The number of cases remains relatively low in Poland at 245 per million, roughly just 10% of Spain’s or Italy’s. But Warsaw has also tested fewer people. At just under 5,400 tests per million, Poland’s testing is only around 25% of what Spain or Italy have done so far.

PiS claims testing is targeted at people likely to carry the virus and rolling out tests for everyone would be counterproductive, as it would further clog the already slow testing process. Critics have charged, however, that with the number of tests as low as it currently is, the real number of infections is several times higher.

Still, the government appears confident the epidemic could be approaching peak now and will dissipate in the coming weeks. Last week, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced a plan of incremental easing of the lockdown, which has been in place since early March.

As of today, Poles will regain access to parks and forests while restrictions on the number of people allowed in shops will be relaxed.

Further easing will be announced upon assessment of the number of new cases in the coming weeks, the government said last week without offering a timeline for lifting the restrictions.

The coronavirus epidemic and the measures imposed to contain it are expected to result in a GDP fall of around 4-5% in 2020. The unemployment rate is set to double to 11% at the end of the year.

A number of macroeconomic data releases for March is due this week to offer the first hard figures on the extent of damage that the outbreak has caused.