Spain sees 523 more deaths one month into lockdown

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - After one month of lockdown, Spain confirmed 523 more deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total number of official fatalities up to 18,579, according to the Ministry of Health.

Though Spain has enforced a lockdown since March 14, the number of new contagions remains significant. Over the last 24 hours, Spain confirmed nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 177,633.

In total, 70,853 people have recovered from the disease.

Spain already has the highest per-capita mortality rate from COVID-19 in the world. Yet Spain's death toll only includes those who died in a hospital and tested positive for the disease. Thousands more who died at home, in care homes or in hospitals without being tested were not included.

The country extended lockdown measures until April 26, but government officials suggested on Tuesday that they would continue until at least May 11. This would bring the total duration of the measure to two months.

On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a forecast predicting that Spain's GDP would fall by 8% this year and unemployment would jump to 20.8%.

The country has not seen this level of economic fallout since its civil war in 1936, when the economy contracted by 23.5%, according to Spanish daily El País.