Spain's daily death toll from the coronavirus rose to 619 on Sunday, after falling for three straight days, the government said. The country, one of the worst-hit by the pandemic, has now recorded 16,972 deaths from COVID-19.

The number of coronavirus deaths in Spain fell for a third consecutive day on Saturday, with 510 fatalities reported in the past 24 hours, the smallest overnight increase since March 23.

The slowdown was an encouraging sign for the country, which has suffered the third-highest number of casualties from the virus after Italy and the U.S.

At the beginning of April, the overnight death tally rose as high as 950, overwhelming the national health service and forcing regional authorities to set up temporary mortuaries in an ice rink and unused public buildings.