Coronavirus: Spain reports spike in deaths; Italy to make masks mandatory
- Spain reports highest number of coronavirus deaths since April
- Italy to order stricter rules, including masks be worn outdoors
Spain reported 261 coronavirus-related deaths over a 24-hour period on Tuesday, the highest figure it has posted for five and a half months, as Europe confronted a second wave of outbreaks.
The last time the country reported such a high number was on April 25, when 280 people died. The highest number over the past month was on September 22, when 112 people died, according to the Health Ministry.
Spain has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with Madrid a hotspot. More than 40 per cent of the 12,000 new infections reported on Tuesday were in the capital city.
Hospitals and their workers have been stretched to their limits again in Madrid, where the surging number of Covid-19 patients in September forced an expansion of critical care beds into gymnasiums and surgery rooms.
The federal government forced Madrid into a strict lockdown on Friday despite opposition from the regional government, banning people from leaving or entering the city without good reason for two weeks.