Spain sets COVID-19 daily case record with over 55,000 new infections -health ministry

The number of coronavirus infections in Spain rose by 55,019 on Monday, the biggest daily increase since the start of the pandemic and more than double the increase of 25,595 new infections on Friday, health ministry data showed.

The death toll went up by 379, bringing the total number of coronavirus fatalities to 36,257 in Spain, which approved a six-month state of emergency last week to try to curb the second wave of contagion.

The 379 deaths was the sharpest one-day rise of the second wave, though still a far cry from nearly 900 at the peak of the first wave of the virus in late March.

The big jump in infections can partly be explained by the accumulation of cases over a three-day bank holiday weekend in Spain.

The official cumulative number of infections now stands at 1,240,697, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the real total is likely above 3 million based on prevalence studies and estimates.