WARSAW, Poland — After the number of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 25,000 Wednesday, double of the number last month, Poland is reintroducing nationwide lockdown of shopping malls, theaters and galleries and sports centers, for three weeks starting Saturday. The time will cover Easter holidays, an important family time in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said Wednesday that also schoolchildren in the lowest classes need to return to remote learning after they were the only group of learners to be allowed to return to schools last month.

Niedzielski said that tougher measures could be introduced if the current tightening does not slow down the spread of the disease.

He said the British variant was responsible for over 52% of new infections. The 25,052 new cases are the highest number since a spike in November.

Restrictions were lifted nationwide in mid-February but were reinstated in four regions this month.

The nation of some 38 million has registered some1.96 million cases of infection, including over 48,000 deaths. Some 4.6 million vaccine doses have been administered, including some 1.6 million second doses.