1B PEOPLE TOLD TO STAY HOME WORLDWIDE

PARIS— More than 1 billion people have been asked to stay home in more than 50 countries and territories around the world as governments battle the new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), an Agence France-presse (AFP) tally showed on Monday.

Some countries imposed mandatory lockdown measures, while others have issued stay-at-home recommendations to stem the spread of the virus.

At least 34 countries or territories have set mandatory lockdown measures ordering 659 million people to stay in their homes.

This includes France, Italy, Argentina, the US state of California, Iraq and Rwanda.

Greece is the most recent country to impose mandatory confinement measures.

Colombia will enforce an obligatory lockdown on Tuesday and New Zealand will follow suit on Wednesday.

Essential travel

In most cases it is still possible to leave the house to go to work, buy essentials or seek medical care.

At least four countries with a collective population of more than 228 million people, including Iran, Germany and Britain, have urged their populations to stay indoors and limit contact with other people as much as possible.

But the impact of these nonmandatory recommendations has been limited.

In Britain, the government warned of tougher measures after crowds gathered in parks and beaches over the weekend, while millions of people in Iran traveled for the Persian New Year last week.

At least 10 countries and territories with a total population of 117 million people have issued curfews and barred overnight travel.

These measures are in place in Burkina Faso, Chile, the Philippines’ island Luzon, Serbia and Mauritania, while in Saudi Arabia a curfew will be imposed from Monday evening.