Coronavirus restrictions in other places

New Zealand has extended its lockdown by a week to next Monday, keeping offices, schools and all non-essential services closed. Following that, it will ease some restrictions for two weeks - allowing more people to go to work and businesses to reopen if they can provide contactless engagement with customers - before further reviewing the situation.

Malaysia's month-long movement control order has been extended by two weeks till next Tuesday. Residents are required to stay home unless they need to buy groceries or medicine or carry out essential services. Other than critical services like healthcare and enforcement, some economic sectors are also allowed to operate, like barbers, optometrists and electrical shops.

While Hong Kong is not under a lockdown, the city yesterday extended its coronavirus restrictions by another two weeks. A ban on public gatherings of more than four people, and closures of entertainment venues, massage parlours and beauty salons, will stay in place until May 7. But rules banning restaurants from having more than half of their normal seating capacity will be relaxed.

The Philippines is expected to announce tomorrow whether it will lift or extend its partial lockdown. The island of Luzon has been shut down since mid-March, with schools and businesses closed and public transport halted.

The lockdown, already extended once, is due to expire at the end of the month.

India last week extended its nationwide lockdown until at least May 3, keeping its 1.3 billion people indoors amid fears that any slip-up would cause infection numbers to soar and overwhelm its shaky healthcare system. Some economic activity was allowed to resume in non-hot spot areas this week to ease economic distress, mainly for daily wage labourers.

European nations have diverged on their shutdown strategies, with France extending its lockdown to May 11 and Italy to May 3, while Germany and Spain have started easing restrictions.

In Germany, schools are being partially reopened and small shops are now allowed to operate, though people are strongly urged to wear masks in public.

Spain said it would relax some rules and that children would be allowed to go out with their parents from next Monday.