• People enjoy a meal inside a tent, at a park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. Reuters
    People enjoy a meal inside a tent, at a park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. Reuters
  • French tenor Stephane Senechal sings at his window for the inhabitants of his street in Paris, France. EPA
    French tenor Stephane Senechal sings at his window for the inhabitants of his street in Paris, France. EPA
  • People practice social distancing as they sit on chairs spread apart in a waiting area for take-away food orders at a shopping mall in hopes of preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Bangkok, Thailand. AP Photo
    People practice social distancing as they sit on chairs spread apart in a waiting area for take-away food orders at a shopping mall in hopes of preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Bangkok, Thailand. AP Photo
  • A restaurant is seen closed as a woman walks past at an empty commercial area after local authorities restricted the activities of restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and other similar businesses in West Palm Beach, Florida, US. Reuters
    A restaurant is seen closed as a woman walks past at an empty commercial area after local authorities restricted the activities of restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and other similar businesses in West Palm Beach, Florida, US. Reuters
  • A passenger looks out the window as a medical worker walks past her carriage of a train with Ukrainians evacuated from Riga at a railway station in Kiev. AFP
    A passenger looks out the window as a medical worker walks past her carriage of a train with Ukrainians evacuated from Riga at a railway station in Kiev. AFP
  • People wearing face masks as a precautionary measure against covid-19 'elbow bump' as they stand in Greenwich in south London. AFP
    People wearing face masks as a precautionary measure against covid-19 'elbow bump' as they stand in Greenwich in south London. AFP
  • Ben Zwiehoff, the German national team's racing cyclist in the mountain bike cross-country discipline works on his balance on his bike in his flat, in Essen, western Germany. AFP
    Ben Zwiehoff, the German national team's racing cyclist in the mountain bike cross-country discipline works on his balance on his bike in his flat, in Essen, western Germany. AFP
  • Gonzaga Yiga, a 49-year-old community chairperson, appeals to residents through a speaker from the tallest building of the area, in Kampala, Uganda. AFP
    Gonzaga Yiga, a 49-year-old community chairperson, appeals to residents through a speaker from the tallest building of the area, in Kampala, Uganda. AFP
  • A nurse anesthetist gestures during the disinfection of ambulances, in Brest, western France. AFP
    A nurse anesthetist gestures during the disinfection of ambulances, in Brest, western France. AFP
  • A general view shows Serbian military personal setting up beds inside a hall at the Belgrade Fair to accommodate people suffering from mild symptoms of the coronavirus disease. AFP
    A general view shows Serbian military personal setting up beds inside a hall at the Belgrade Fair to accommodate people suffering from mild symptoms of the coronavirus disease. AFP
  • A picture shows the Houses of Parliament at the end of an empty Westminster Bridge in central London, the morning after Britain ordered a lockdown to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. AFP
    A picture shows the Houses of Parliament at the end of an empty Westminster Bridge in central London, the morning after Britain ordered a lockdown to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. AFP
  • People queue at the Immigration Office in Bangkok, as Thailand moves to close its borders after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the past week. AFP
    People queue at the Immigration Office in Bangkok, as Thailand moves to close its borders after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in the past week. AFP
  • An aerial view of empty Octavio Frias de Oliveira bridge, a cable-stayed bridge, on the first day of lockdown imposed by state government in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Reuters
    An aerial view of empty Octavio Frias de Oliveira bridge, a cable-stayed bridge, on the first day of lockdown imposed by state government in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Reuters
  • A man passes by an LED outdoor screen during the coronavirus outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters
    A man passes by an LED outdoor screen during the coronavirus outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil. Reuters
  • A man attends customers through an opening from which hangs a handwritten sign that reads in Spanish: "Pharmacy on duty," in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo
    A man attends customers through an opening from which hangs a handwritten sign that reads in Spanish: "Pharmacy on duty," in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo
  • A deer walks across a pedestrian crossing in Nara, Japan. AP Photo
    A deer walks across a pedestrian crossing in Nara, Japan. AP Photo

Asia

Coronavirus: which countries are in full nationwide lockdown?

Over a quarter of the world's population are currently in lockdown as part of efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus

Liz Cookman
Liz Cookman

March 25, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Over a quarter of the global population is currently in lockdown as countries across the world bring in severe restrictions as part of efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

India, which alone accounts for almost a fifth of the planet's humans, became on Wednesday the latest country to enforce a nationwide lockdown, with South Africa due to also take up the measures on Thursday.

Under lockdown, schools and all non-essential businesses are closed, and people are obliged to stay at home, but are allowed to go out to buy necessary food or medicine, or seek medical help.

Among the most extreme measure are those in Jordan, where residents were not allowed to leave their homes under any circumstances for three days, and the restrictions were brought in with the ringing of air raid sirens, a move usually reserved for war time.

Some countries have opted for partial lockdown, such as China, where Hubei province – the origin of the pandemic – remains closed off, while the rest of the country is under less strict measures. In the US, some states have gone for full containment, including California, Illinois and New Jersey, with New York the most affected city.

Other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have imposed less strict measures, requesting the population stay at home voluntarily, with some enforcing evening curfews.

Roy Cooper
Roy Cooper

The countries on full nationwide lockdown

  • Italy (since March 9)
  • Norway (March 12)
  • Denmark (March 13)
  • Lebanon (March 15)
  • Spain (March 15)
  • Czech Republic (March 16)
  • France (March 16)
  • Malaysia (March 16)
  • Belgium (March 17)
  • Venezuela (March 17)
  • Argentina (March 20)
  • Morocco (March 20)
  • Poland (March 20)
  • Slovenia (March 20)
  • Rwanda (March 21)
  • Jordan (March 21)
  • Bolivia (March 22)
  • Iraq (March 22)
  • Tunisia (March 22)
  • Greece (March 23)
  • Colombia (March 24)
  • El Salvador (March 24)
  • UK (March 24)
  • India (March 25)
  • New Zealand (March 25)
  • South Africa (March 26)
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