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Spain Surpasses China in Number of Coronavirus Deaths With 738 New Fatalities Reported in One Day

As the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic spreads throughout Europe and existing infrastructure and services become strained by the disease, death rates are quickly beginning to rise.
Sputnik

The coronavirus death toll in Spain reached 3,434 on Wednesday, surpassing the total number of deaths in China, where the outbreak began. 

Total infections in Spain saw a 20% jump from the previous day to 47,610.

With 738 new COVID-19 deaths reported in a single day, Spain now has the world's second highest death rate from the virus, just behind Italy which has seen 6,820 deaths.

Hotels across the country are being converted into hospitals and the Palacio de Hielo ice rink in Madrid has been temporarily turned into a makeshift morgue to store bodies until they can be buried or cremated.

On Wednesday the Spanish military pleaded with fellow NATO-member countries for coronavirus testing kits, ventilators, and protective gear.

According to Johns Hopkins University, 430,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed around the world.

While China reports the most cases with 81,500, it has seen a steady decline in its new case in recent weeks. Italy has the second most cases with over 69,000 and the US third with more than 55,000, the Johns Hopkins figures reveal.

The Spanish government has accepted medical support from China, which offered to help Spain in fighting the outbreak.

Chinese president, Xi Jinping told Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, that “sunshine comes after the storm”, and added that the two countries should increase their cooperation after the outbreak is over.

The Chinese assistance includes medical equipment and 1.8 million masks.

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