Madrid (AFP)

Spain has registered 462 deaths in 24 hours due to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number of deaths to 2,182, according to a new report released Monday by the authorities.

The number of deaths has thus multiplied by more than two in three days in the second most affected country in Europe by the Covid-19 after Italy.

The number of confirmed cases has exceeded the 30,000 mark at 33,089 against 28,572 Sunday as the country has increased its testing capacity.

The Madrid region is the most affected with more than 10,000 cases and more than 1,200 deaths (nearly 60% of all deaths).

The proportion of patients in serious condition has however declined in recent days, from 15 to 13% of the total, which "gives some hope that the problem will be contained," said the director of the center for health alerts Fernando Simon at his daily press conference.

But despite a slowdown in the rate of increase in the number of cases detected, "we are not yet sure that we have reached the peak of contagion", he stressed.

Another worrying point: 3,910 cases of contaminated nursing staff were detected, or more than 10% of the total, while unions and professional associations denounce the lack of means of protection.

In an attempt to curb the spread of the pandemic, the government of Pedro Sanchez proclaimed a state of alert on March 14, which enabled it to declare the almost total containment of the population it wants to extend until April 11.

Millions of masks were ordered, 50,000 health workers hired, while the military was deployed to disinfect public places.

In Madrid, to relieve saturated hospitals, hotels have been adapted to accommodate the light sick, and a field hospital has been installed in the immense exhibition halls of the trade fair, with a total capacity of 5,500 beds of which 1,300 are already in service.

On Saturday, 640,000 rapid test kits were received and have started to be distributed across the country.

Members of the medical staff will be tested as a priority, as well as residents or nursing staff of residences for the elderly. Several dozen elderly people have died in these residences across the country.

The 46 million Spaniards can only leave their homes, individually and while keeping their distance, to buy basic necessities, go to work when telework is not possible or briefly take their dog out.

Some 477 people have been arrested since the start of the state of alert and 50,000 complaints have been filed by the authorities for non-compliance with these restrictions, according to the police.

© 2020 AFP