Coronavirus: 812 new fatalities in Spain; Belgium death toll over 500

Spain, Europe's second-worst coronavirus-hit country, announced 812 new deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total toll to 7,340.

Meanwhile, the novel coronavirus has gripped another European country as the death toll in Belgium passes 500 with nearly 12,000 cases.

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The latest number of deaths in the 24-hour period in Spain is the first decline since Thursday. On Sunday, Spain confirmed 838 deaths.

The total number of positive cases in Spain stands at 85,195 and the officials hoped that the peak of the outbreak is approaching.

Spain is currently under a near-total lockdown that was imposed on March 14, banning people to go outside their homes except to work, buy food and medicine or look after a sick relative.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday announced stricter lockdown measures, which will force all non-essential workers to stay at home for the next two weeks.

In Belgium, health authorities said on Monday that so far, 513 COVID-19 deaths had been reported and 11,899 people tested positive.

Stressing that the infections in Belgium have not yet peaked, the officials, however, said that patients admitted to hospitals and intensive care unitshad slowed down in the last 24 hours.

Earlier, Belgium extended lockdown measures on Friday for two weeks to April 18 to contain the spread of the virus.

Schools, restaurants and most shops are shut down and the entry to supermarkets is restricted so that social distancing can be maintained.