Via TheLocal.es: LATEST: Spain records new one-day record for coronavirus fatalities with 769 more deaths in 24 hours. Excerpt:
The death toll in Spain soared over 4,800 Friday after 769 people died in 24 hours, in what was a record one-day figure for fatalities.
Health ministry figures showed the number of deaths reaching 4,858, while cases jumped to 64,059, although the rate of new infections appeared to be slowing, registering a 14 percent increase compared with 18 percent a day earlier.
Spain has the world's second-highest death toll after Italy, and has so far suffered 4,858 deaths, while the number of cases jumped to 64,059.
Although the figures showed a daily increase of nearly 8,000 new infections, the uptick comes as Spain moves to dramatically increase its rate of testing, ordering millions of new kits from around the world.
Despite the increase, the rate of new infections appears to be slowing, registering a 14 percent increase compared with 18 percent on Thursday.
Fernando Simon, the health ministry's emergencies coordinator described the figure as "promising" saying it showed that the flattening trend of the curve"was ongoing".
"There is a clear stabilisation," he said, with the figures indicating "that, little-by-little, we're reaching the peak".
The surge in numbers has brought the medical system to the brink of collapse, with Spain inking a major supply deal with China to source equipment and material to increase its capacity for testing, treatment and the protection of frontline workers.
It has also seen a growing number of cases among healthcare personnel with 9,444 infected, Simon said, giving a figure which has nearly doubled since Tuesday when it stood at 5,400.
