The number of people to have died after testing positive for the coronavirus has risen by 838 in Spain and 756 in Italy.

The number in Italy accounts for more than a third of all the deaths from the disease worldwide. The latest rise there is the lowest daily rise in deaths since Wednesday.

The total number of dead in Italy is now 10,779.

In Spain the total has risen to 6,528, with the number of confirmed cases there now at 78,797.

The latest figures show the daily number of coronavirus-linked deaths recorded in Spain has more than doubled since last Sunday, when 394 fatalities were confirmed.


Spain's number of deaths rose from 100 to 1,000 quicker than Italy, where 10,023 people have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

Italian priest blesses dozens of coffins

Sky's Europe correspondent Adam Parsons said: "The pace of which people are dying of the coronavirus in Spain does seem to be stripping even the records established by Italy.

"Also, whereas in Italy this outbreak is concentrated in three or four regions up in the north of Italy, in Spain the profile is beginning to change.

"Initially the outbreak was very much focused on Madrid, then Catalonia began to play a part.

"But you have pockets now across the entire rest of the country."

Image: An ice rink in Madrid is being used as a morgue during the coronavirus outbreak

Spain deaths confirmed each day:

Sunday 29 March: 838

Saturday 28 March: 832

Friday 27 March: 769

Thursday 26 March: 655

Wednesday 25 March: 738

Tuesday 24 March: 514

Monday 23 March: 462

Sunday 22 March: 394

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The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany has risen by 3,965 to 52,547, a government federal agency has said in the country.

Another 64 deaths have been recorded, bring the total there to 389.

The Robert Koch Institute, which is responsible for disease control and prevention, said the data doesn't provide a complete picture because readings from the regional states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Hesse and Saarland are not included.

Switzerland's government has said 257 people have died in the country and 14,336 have tested positive.