Spain: COVID-19 continues decline amid 440 more deaths

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spain reported 440 new deaths on Thursday related to the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 22,157, according to the Ministry of Health.

The number of official daily deaths is slightly up from the previous two days, but far below the peak of 950 in early April.

Spanish health officials also registered more than 4,600 new contagions on Thursday. The total number of confirmed cases is now 214,535. Nearly 90,000 people have recovered.

Despite the numbers, the worst of the crisis appears to have passed in Spain. A general decrease in pressure in both hospitals and funeral services shows that lockdown measures, in place since March 14, has been effective.

A makeshift morgue erected in Madrid's largest skating rink in late March was closed on Wednesday. According to authorities, the rink took in 1,145 bodies as the city's funeral services were unable to cope with the influx of bodies.

This temporary morgue was a major symbol of the bitter crisis in the capital Madrid, one of the country's worst-hit areas.

On Wednesday, the Madrid released data that encapsulated the true impact of the virus. Local officials estimate that the pandemic killed 11,852 people in the region though only 7,684 deaths from Madrid were included in Spain's official figures.

Spain's official mortality figures only count people who tested positive for the virus, but thousands were unable to get a test in time.

Madrid still has one temporary morgue in operation which can hold 230 bodies.

The lockdown in Spain is set to continue until May 9. After that, the easing of restrictions will be "slow and gradual," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 185 countries and regions worldwide, with Europe and the U.S. the worst-hit regions.

Worldwide cases have exceeded 2.63 million with more than 183,000 coronavirus-related deaths. Over 715,000 have recovered from the virus, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.