What countries are still in lockdown and how many weeks has it been for them?

A third of the world’s population is living under some form of lockdown.

More than a third of the world’s population is living under some form of lockdown or quarantine at the moment because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

That figure, estimated by Business Insider, could decrease in the following weeks as some countries make plans to ease or lift their lockdown measures.

Although not an official term used by public health officials, ‘lockdown’ is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as: ‘a situation in which people are not allowed to enter or leave a building or area freely because of an emergency’ and has become a fitting term for the current environment many around the world find themselves living in due to necessary measures implemented during the pandemic. 

This week, as the UK government announced that the nation’s initial three week lockdown period would be extended to six weeks minimum, other countries around the world have begun sharing plans to lift their lockdown rules. 

The Coronavirus pandemic has spread to at least 182 countries worldwide and has claimed over 139,000 lives globally so far.

These are the countries around the world that, like the UK, are still in lockdown at the time of writing. 

What countries are still in lockdown? 

The UK has one of the most widespread and strictest lockdowns in the world, matched only be the measures implemented in nations such as France, Italy and China. 

The UK went into lockdown on March 23, with the measures now extending to at least May 7.

Other countries still in lockdown around the world include: 

• Australia – Two and a half weeks in lockdown. Entered lockdown on March 31. for NSW, with restrictions placed on the rest of the country from March 24.
• Argentina – Nearly four weeks in lockdown after measures were imposed on March 21.
• Austria – Just under five weeks in lockdown, with measures first put in place on March 15.
• Belgium – Four and a half weeks in lockdown, which started on March 17.
• Colombia – Three and a half weeks in lockdown, which was first implemented on March 24.
• El Salvador – Just over five weeks in lockdown after introducing restrictions on March 11.
• France – It has been nearly five weeks since the country went into lockdown on March 16.
• Germany – Germany will begin to ease restrictions on April 19, after nearly four weeks in lockdown.
• Hungary – Just under three weeks since the nation entered lockdown on March 30.
• India – Three and a half weeks in lockdown. Entered lockdown on March 24.
• Ireland – It has been exactly three weeks since Ireland entered lockdown on March 27.
• Israel – Just over three weeks since Israel entered lockdown on March 25.
• Italy – Italy entered lockdown over five weeks ago on March 10.
• Jordan – Nation has been in lockdown for nearly four weeks since March 21.
• Kenya – Nation has been in lockdown for nearly five weeks since March 15.
• Kuwait – The country has been in lockdown for exactly five weeks, since March 13.
• Latvia – has been in an effective national lockdown for over four weeks since March 17.
• Malaysia – has been in lockdown for over four weeks since March 16.
• Morocco – Country has been in lockdown for almost five weeks, since March 15.
• Moscow, Russia – The government in Russia put Moscow under lockdown nearly three weeks ago on March 30.
• New Zealand – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a lockdown in New Zealand just over three weeks ago on March 25.
• Norway – One of the first countries to go into lockdown, Norway has been in lockdown for five weeks since March 12.
• Poland – Closely following Norway is Poland, which was been in lockdown for nearly five weeks since March 13.
• Saudi Arabia – Capital locked down on March 25, all major cities locked down on April 6, nearly two weeks ago.
• South Africa – Country entered lockdown on March 26, just over three weeks ago.
• Spain – In lockdown since March 14, nearly five weeks ago.
• Thailand – Thailand remains under a state of emergency which was announced two weeks ago on  April 3.
• UAE – In lockdown for just over three weeks, since March 26 (Dubai has been on lockdown for two weeks since April 4).
• USA – 32 out of 50 States in the US have been locked down for over two weeks since the end of March.

MORE: Donald Trump calls on three US states to ‘liberate’ themselves from coronavirus lockdown

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