A medical worker observes installation of beds for COVID-19 patients at a sports hall in Barcelona, Spain, April 13, 2020. Spain on Tuesday reported one of the lowest daily numbers of new coronavirus cases since the country imposed the "state of alarm" on March 15, while its death toll from the virus had surpassed 18,000. Fresh figures, collected by health authorities by 21:00 hours on Monday and made public on Tuesday, showed Spain reported 3,045 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, raising the country's number of total infection cases to 172,541. (Vall d'Hebron Hospital/Handout via Xinhua)
MADRID, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Spain on Tuesday reported one of the lowest daily numbers of new coronavirus cases since the country imposed the "state of alarm" on March 15, while its death toll from the virus had surpassed 18,000.
Fresh figures, collected by health authorities by 21:00 hours on Monday and made public on Tuesday, showed Spain reported 3,045 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, raising the country's number of total infection cases to 172,541.
In the 24-hour span, a further 567 people had died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The daily toll was 50 more than that of Monday, but lower than the 619 deaths from Sunday.
"The numbers are good, although this is a different week with several holidays," said Fernando Simon, head of the Center for the Coordination for Health Emergencies at the Spanish Health Ministry. He appeared in public again for the first time after testing positive for the virus in March.
Tuesday's figures also showed 7,851 of COVID-19 patients needed intensive care, an increase of 74 from Monday.
Simon said the tendency in the numbers of cases in Spain was "descending" and that "gives us hope." He also said that the pressure was easing slightly on Spain's intensive care units.
"We have been talking about a reduction of cases in numerical terms for a while now," he said. "That indicates we have been going in the right direction for an important period of time."
Simon was also optimistic that the decision to allow some non-essential workers to return to work in Spain since Monday would not see an increase in infection cases.
In addition, the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 grew from 64,727 to 67,504, an increase of 2,777 over the past 24 hours.
