Spain sees sharp cases rise just as schools reopen

Fuelled by a sharp surge of coronavirus contagion just as school year opens, Spain has w officially more than half a million confirmed coronavirus cases since beginning of pandemic.

health ministry on Monday reported 26,560 new infections since its last report on Friday, or an aver of 8,800 daily, bringing total since February to 525,549.

se varied across regions and spike is so far t overwhelming hospitals.

But with more than eight million undergruate students heing to school starting from Monday, Fernando Simon, Director of Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies, said country needed to be "alert and vigilant".

29,516 people have died in Spain as a result of virus, according to official figures, although real death toll is believed to be much higher.