A banner that says "thank you" and pictures of key workers are displayed on a balcony on April 17 in Madrid. Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

More than 20,000 people have now died in Spain as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to official figures issued Saturday by the Ministry of Health.

The number of reported deaths, at 20,043, was up 565 from the number recorded Friday.

The percentage rise, at 2.9%, is roughly in line with most of the daily results of the last week.

Spanish authorities have warned that the data may fluctuate as a new system for reporting cases comes into play and as testing throughout the country is increased.

Earlier this week, the region of Catalonia revised the reported cases and deaths from coronavirus sharply upwards, after adopting a new formula for calculating the impact of the pandemic.

Among those who have died from coronavirus in the past 24 hours was one of Spain’s most prominent doctors, Jesus Vaquero. Vaquero was head of neurosurgery at the Puerta del Hierro Hospital in Madrid, and a leading specialist in back surgery.