Spain overtakes Italy in virus cases

ROME: Spain's Covid-19 cases surpassed Italy as Europe's two main epicentres continue to struggle to curtail the virus, with PM Pedro Sanchez planning to extend the country's lockdown by two weeks until April 25. A nationwide 15-day state of emergency was first announced on March 14. It was to end on April 11 after being extended by two weeks.

"The cabinet on Tuesday will again ask for authorisation from parliament to extend for a second time the state of alert until Saturday April 25 at midnight," Sanchez said . Corona cases increased by 7,026 to 124,736 over the past 24 hours, while deaths rose by 809 to 11,744. Total cases are now higher than Italy's 124,632.

I taly on Saturday saw its first drop in patients receiving intensive care for the coronavirus that has killed 15,362 people in the country and put the healthcare system under massive strain. "This is very important news," civil protection service chief Angelo Borrelli told reporters of the drop from 4,068 to 3,994 intensive care patients over the past 24 hours. "It allows our hospitals to breathe." Overall, new infections continued to slow their once-exponential pace, with 4,805 new cases registered on Saturday. The death toll continued to mount, with 681 new victims bringing the world's highest toll to 15,362.

Carlo Palermo, head of Italy's doctors' union, fought tears as he told reporters of the risks and trauma the outbreak is causing, noting reports that two nurses had committed suicide. In Italy, more than 11,000 medical personnel have been infected and some 73 doctors have died. Meanwhile, 17 medics in Egypt's tested positive.

Elsewhere, the UK reported its deadliest day yet with an increase of 708 deaths, bringing the total to 4,313.