Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday imposed a three-week ban on movement in and out of four main coronavirus "infected areas", including the capital Nairobi, ahead of the usually busy Easter weekend, reports AFP.

Kenyatta stopped short of a full lockdown within these areas, but warned "we must be ready to go even further if necessary" in a televised address to the nation.

He ordered "cessation of all movement by road, rail or air in and out of" Nairobi, and the coastal towns of Kilifi and Kwale and the country's second largest city of Mombasa for 21 days, starting from Monday at 19:00.

Kenya currently counts 158 cases and six deaths from the virus.

Nigeria needs billions to fight Covid-19

Nigeria has asked for $6.9 billion from multilateral lenders including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to tackle the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, AFP reports. 

Africa's most populous nation and biggest oil producer is battling to halt the spread of the virus and staunch the economic pain caused by a slump in crude prices.

"We have a contribution of $3.4 billion in the IMF and we are entitled to draw up to the whole of that," finance minister Zainab Ahmed told journalists.

"We have in the first instance applied for that maximum amount, but in the process, we will negotiate."

Ahmed said Nigeria, which boasts the continent's biggest economy, had also requested $2.5 billion from the World Bank and $1 billion from the African Bank of Development.

The government has said it is planning to establish a $1.3 billion fund to bolster the country's weak healthcare system.

Nigeria has so far recorded 232 confirmed infections and 5 deaths from the novel coronavirus.

Cyprians cry foul over pets

AFP reports that a Cyprus trade union has said pet dogs have more freedom than children under strict social distancing restrictions the country has enforced to stem the coronavirus pandemic.

The Isotita (Equality) trade union made the complaint in a statement urging the commissioner of children's rights to ensure that during the pandemic "children at least acquire the same rights as pets". Under tighter restrictions on free movement, Cypriots are allowed out of the house only once a day to go shop for essential things such as food or to exercise.

The Republic of Cyprus has recorded 446 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths so far.

Argentina allows postponed payments for billions of public debt

AFP reports that Argentina is deferring payments of up to $9.8 billion on its local public debt in response to the coronavirus crisis. The decree postpones payments on public debt issued under local law and not subject to international arbitration, as the government of President Alberto Fernandez negotiates with creditors to restructure $68.8 billion in private foreign debt.

The decree attributed the action to the global health crisis unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which it said had "altered the deadlines anticipated" in the government's timetable for stabilizing its debt situation.

Pep Guardiola's elderly mother has died of coronavirus