Algeria replaces lockdown with curfew as Ramadan begins

Algeria has ended a full lockdown on the Northern Blida province which is the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, and replaced it with a curfew during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad announced the curfew will begin immediately.

It is unclear if the full lockdown on Blida province, which is to end in a week, will be re-introduced after Ramadhan.

Other nine provinces, including the capital Algiers that had a curfew will now have a relaxed curfew starting.

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune said there had been improvement since the lockdown and curfew were imposed and normal life would resume soon.