Spain reports 769 more deaths from COVID-19, highest single-day toll

The Spanish health ministry has reportedly declared at least 769 fatalities from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 4,858, while over 64,059 have been infected. A senior health officer, however, claimed that the death toll was stabilizing in the country since the pandemic cases first appeared. 

Health emergency chief Fernando Simon told a news conference that more deaths were registered in Spain as of March 26 as compared to the previous day, the spike was of over 19 percent in deaths was calculated as per a media agency tally. According to reports, the patients are rushed to the hospitals in large numbers, as there is an acute shortage of the medical staff and equipment like masks and hazmat suits. The Real Madrid soccer stadium has reportedly been converted to medical supply stores and mass testing area. Spain has been struggling to contain the deadly pandemic as per the media reports. 

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At least 9,400 health workers have also been infected, as Spain has been listed as the fourth worst-hit country according to Johns Hopkins University. Spain's armed forces had earlier appealed to NATO for humanitarian assistance, as per the reports, as deaths and infection continued to soar despite the lockdown measures. With authorities stepping up testing, the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 rose by nearly 20 percent, the health ministry confirmed. 

Spain seeks NATO'S help

"This is a very hard week because we're in the first stages of overcoming the virus, a phase in which we are approaching the peak of the epidemic," Health Minister Salvador Illa told a televised news conference. Like many other countries, Spain has been struggling with a lack of medical supplies for testing, treatment and the protection of frontline workers. 

In a statement, NATO said Spain's military had asked for "international assistance", seeking medical supplies to help curb the spread of the virus both in the military and in the civilian population. The request specified 450,000 respirators, 500,000 rapid testing kits, 500 ventilators, and 1.5 million surgical masks, according to an agency report. 

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