Spain’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) death toll has surged past the number of fatalities in China, becoming the second-highest next to Italy.
The health and science ministry of Spain recorded 738 deaths in 24 hours raising the death toll to 3,434.
Spain’s infection rate rose by a fifth with 7,937 cases, according to Spain’s official tally from Instituto de Salud Carlos III.
Madrid remains the epicenter of the pandemic which accounts for 14,597 of the confirmed cases.
The country has 47,610 cases, the fourth largest next to China, Italy and the US.
Among the confirmed cases id Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo. She is currently under quarantine in a hospital and doing well, the statement from the Prime Minister’s office read.
Temporary hospitals have been set up across the country while the extension of the nationwide lockdown is being considered in the parliament, CNN reported.
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