More than 250,000 positive coronavirus cases in Europe

The tally of total positive cases in Europe surged past 250,000 in Europe on Thursday as Spain becomes the second-worst affected country after Italy in the region.

At least 4,089 people have now died from Covid-19 in Spain with a total of 56,188 cases recorded, according to Spanish Health Ministry data released Thursday, CNN reported.

But the rise in the death toll of 655 in the past 24 hours was a smaller increase than the record 738 set on Wednesday.

Spain continues to be the country with the second-highest number of fatalities from coronavirus, surpassed only by Italy. China, where the outbreak began, has had 3,291 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.

Before Wednesday, Spain had recorded 47,610 total cases with 3,434 deaths.

Spain has been locked down and in a state of emergency since March 13. Top health official Fernando Simon predicted on Wednesday that the nation had still not reached the crest of its outbreak. The number of cases will continue to rise in the coming days, he said.

Meanwhile in Italy, the new epicenter of the virus has recorded more than 70,000 cases and more than 7,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.