Nearly one in six Spanish children have felt regularly depressed during the coronavirus crisis, with those from poorer backgrounds suffering worse, according to a survey.

Spain has had one of the world’s strictest lockdowns, including keeping children behind doors for weeks, to curb the outbreak which has killed nearly 28,000 people in the country, Reuters reports.

Save the Children said its survey from April showed that while lockdown was enabling many families to enjoy more time together, still 17 per cent of children felt depressed often or daily and new economic hardships were widening inequalities.