The numbers, arriving after a period of cautious optimism a few days ago, seem chilling. Nine-hundred and fifty new coronavirus deaths in Spain in a single day - the highest one-day total so far. And at the same time, a gruesome threshold has been crossed as the total death toll has reached 10,003 - one fifth of the deaths from the virus worldwide at present. Ordinary people around the Spanish state can do little more than maintain their lockdown, keep up their morale, and hope that tomorrow's absolute figures will be better.
Nevertheless, an analysis of the data in percentage terms does offer the reading that the mortality of Covid-19 in Spain is slowing down. If just eight days ago, the daily increase in deaths was over 27%, it is now 10.5%.
Consistent with this mortality curve, the rate of spread of the virus also appears to have slowed down. In the last 24 hours, the Spanish health ministry has detected 8,102 new infections, a count that places the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state at 110,238, close to the level of Italy, which after announcing its own updated figures on Thursday evening records a total of 115,242 cases. The Spanish one-day increase is 7.9%. A week ago, that percentage was close to 20%.
Record of patients recovering, more than 4,100 in 24 hours
The Spanish ministry of health's daily update always has its reminder that there is hope, in the statistics for those who have recovered from the virus. And the absolute numbers in this category also reached a record on Wednesday: 4,100 coronavirus patients have been discharged in Spain. Since the arrival of Covid-19 in the Spanish state, 26,743 people have beaten the virus.
What is most concerning for the country's health authorities this week is the danger of critical hospital units being overwhelmed: there are now 6,092 patients admitted to ICUs around Spain, putting these units under tremendous stress.
Madrid passes the barrier of 4,000 dead
Although the trend in the Covid-19 epidemic in Madrid is now much the same as in the rest of Spain, the Spanish capital continues to account for the largest number of cases and in particular, deaths. This Thursday, Madrid crossed the psychological barrier of 4,000 fatalities. The region's 4,175 deaths are 41.7% of the Spanish total. Catalonia, with 2,093 deaths, is in second place in this macabre contest with 21% of the total deaths in Spain so far.