The death toll from the coronavirus in Spain, one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic, moved past 20,000 on Saturday, the health ministry said.

A biologist wearing a face mask and gloves feeds humboldt penguins at the closed Aquarium in Barcelona on April 17, 2020 amid a national lockdown to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (Photo: AFP)

A total of 20,043 people have now succumbed to the disease, which killed 565 people in Spain in the past 24 hours, slightly down on the 585 reported on Friday.