Despite a continuing increase in deaths from coronavirus here, the Health Ministry’s Fernando Simón, says the daily number of new cases has been falling for several days

Despite a continuing increase in deaths from coronavirus here, the Health Ministry’s Fernando Simón, says the daily number of new cases has been falling for several days.

Down 9% is the latest figure but there could be a delay in reporting because of the weekend.

20% of patients have now been discharged from hospital.

Simon said it appears that the situation is stabilising, but the main problem is to avoid hospital ICUs from becoming overwhelmed.

The latest figures showed that 6,528 people in Spain have now died from coronavirus, with 838 new deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Registered infections stand at 78,797, with 4,907 people in intensive care.

Some 14,709 patients have recovered from the Covid-19 disease and have been released from hospital.

The majority of deaths during the crisis (5,000) have taken place over the last seven days.

The figure of 838 deaths in the previous 24 hours is the highest day-on-day increase seen so far, on Saturday there were 832 deaths, and on Friday the figure was 769.

The death rate in Spain from the disease is currently at 8.3%, which is half a point up on the day before.

Given the worsening situation and the congestion in Spanish hospitals, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that the lockdown will be intensified, with all non-essential workers now prohibited from leaving their homes.

Opposition parties have said that they support the stricter measures, but criticised the government for its response to the crisis, accusing it of “improvising.”

On Saturday it emerged that Madrid, the region that has been worst-hit by the coronavirus, was close to having all of its 1,500 ICU beds occupied.

Madrid premier Isabel Díaz Ayuso says she will be signing a decree declaring a state of official mourning from today in honour of the 3,000 victims of the virus in the region.

The Madrid flag will fly at half mast on public buildings indefinitely.