National lockdown

The first public admission of Covid infections highlights the potential for a major crisis in a country that has refused to accept international help with vaccination and shut down its borders.

As of March, no cases of Covid-19 have been reported, according to the World Health Organization, and there is no official record of any North Koreans having been vaccinated.

All schools and non-essential shops will shut for four weeks, and a curfew will be in place from 19:00 to 06:00.

On Friday, the number of seriously ill Covid patients in intensive care units (ICU) increased by 145 - the biggest jump in five months.

President Emmanuel Macron has promised more hospital beds for Covid patients.

France is currently battling a peak of about 5,000 Covid patients in ICUs. On Friday, the country recorded 46,677 new cases and 304 deaths.

A notice issued by the government said pursuant to sections 36 and 37 of the Emergency Management Act 2007, I hereby renew the National Lockdown Notice dated 26 March 2020 to be applied over all the land and seas of Tonga to continue commencing from 1:00am on Sunday 5 April 2020 to 1:00am Sunday 12 April 2020, unless further renewed.

(1) The terms and conditions of the National Lockdown Notice dated 26 March 2020 shall continue to apply.

(2) The following services shall be added to Appendix A of the National Lockdown Notice dated 26 March 2020–

The restrictions came into force at midnight local time (18:30 GMT) and will be enforced for 21 days.

"There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes," Mr Modi said in a televised address.

He appealed for people not to panic - but crowds quickly mobbed stores in the capital, Delhi, and other cities.

Correspondents say it is not clear how - or even if - people will now be allowed out to buy food and other essentials.

Under the decree being finalised, people would be allowed out only for emergencies, to buy food, or for work.

With 191 deaths and 6,046 infections, Spain is the worst-hit country in Europe after Italy, which declared a nationwide lockdown on Monday.

The US is extending its European travel ban to the UK and the Republic of Ireland from Monday.

President Donald Trump confirmed the news in answer to a reporter's question at the White House.

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Europe was now the "epicentre" of the pandemic.