The government has been relaxing restrictions | DANIEL ESPINOSA

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Spain reported 12,345 new coronavirus infections and eight deaths on Thursday, with health ministry data showing daily increases this week at their highest levels since mid-April, in part due to the more contagious Delta variant.

The infection rate measured over the past 14 days rose to 134 cases per 100,000 people from 117 on Wednesday, accelerating a rise that began in mid-June after the rate hit its lowest level since August, of about 90 cases per 100,000.

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Encouraged by the drop in infections in the past few months as vaccination picked up steam, the government has been relaxing restrictions and last Saturday lifted a blanket obligation to wear masks outdoors. A record 747,589 people were vaccinated on Thursday, leaving nearly 38% of the population fully inoculated.

Thursday's numbers took the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in Spain to 3,821,305 while the death toll reached 80,883.