The Spanish economy contracted by 5.2% in the first quarter of the year, mainly due to a sharp decline in March, when coronavirus infections prompted a nationwide state of emergency and lockdown.

This is the largest GDP drop Spain has seen in recent history, significantly deeper that the drop seen at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, when the economy contracted 2.6% in the first quarter of 2009.

The service sector was hardest hit, with cultural businesses like cinemas and theaters especially impacted — falling 11.2% — while commerce, transport and hospitality dropped 10.9%.

The quarterly report relies on weekly data from the first three months of the year, with the government-imposed lockdown affecting only the final two weeks of the first quarter.

The national lockdown was extended until May 9 for a total of eight weeks, suggesting the negative impact on the Spanish economy could be even deeper when data for the second quarter is released in the summer.