Spain asks NATO for help as coronavirus death toll surpasses China’s
The number of reported deaths from the virus rose to 3,434 from 2,696 on Tuesday in Spain
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread through Europe, Spain has overtaken China for the second-highest death toll in the world.
On Wednesday morning, Spanish health officials announced that 738 more people have died in the past 24-hour period, bringing the total to 3,434, reports the New York Daily News.
The Spanish army has asked its NATO partners for coronavirus testing kits, ventilators and protective gear as part of the alliance's international assistance arrangements.
Spain made the request to NATO which would pass it on to the member states' armies. The aid would be transferred to civilians, Miguel Villarroya, Spanish armed forces chief said on Wednesday.
China, where the outbreak began in December, has seen 3,285 deaths. Italy, the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe, has reported more than 6,800 deaths.
While Italy crumbles under the deadly disease, Spain has seen its morbidity rate and total cases rise exponentially daily. On Wednesday, it grew up by 20 percent to 47,610 total.
The country has locked down its more than 47 million residents and closed its borders to outsiders. Health officials have speculated that Spain's peak could come as soon as Wednesday, but others are less optimistic.
"The worst is yet to come," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Saturday in a televised speech.
"There are hard days ahead. We have to get ready from a physiological and emotional standpoint. We have to get to the end of next week strong, very strong. The risk is everywhere."
