Coronavirus infections in Spain continue to accelerate, with health officials reporting 13,873 new cases Tuesday.

Axar.az informs that the number of confirmed cases tends to increase as the week progresses, and it is the highest-ever infection figure for a Tuesday. Overall, it is the third-largest daily surge during the pandemic.

Hospitalizations have also reached a new high in the second wave -- with 13,288 COVID-19 patients using 11% of hospital beds and 21.5% of intensive care units.

Another 218 people have died, bringing the number of lives lost to COVID-19 to 34,210.

According to US-based Johns Hopkins University, Spain’s total death toll has surpassed Peru’s to rank seventh highest in the world.

Faced with “hard weeks ahead,” in the words of Health Minister Salvador Illa, Spanish authorities are mulling stricter measures.