The cities and countries returning to lockdown

As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, some people are being forced back under restrictive measures.

Nations that previously thought they had the virus under control are now suffering from a rise in cases. Here, we take a look at the locations back under lockdown and how they have chosen different approaches to keeping their populations safe.

Melbourne

First lockdown: 21/03 - 15/05

Second lockdown: 08/07

Population: 4.94m

Cases: 4,224

Deaths: 26

Key restrictions: A second, six-week lockdown has been introduced in the Australian state of Victoria, home to the city of Melbourne. Citizens will only be allowed to leave home for essential reasons, such as giving care or where working from home is not possible.

Restaurants, bars and cafes will have to close but hairdressers may stay open. The border between Victoria and New South Wales has been closed and police say they are setting up  “ring of steel” around the city to prevent movement in and out.

Catalonia

First lockdown: 14/03 - 21/06

Second lockdown: 15/07

Population: 7.57m

Cases: 62,057

Deaths: 5,673

Key restricions: Over 160,000 residents in the Lleida area of Catalonia have been forced back in to lockdown after a judge approved the regional government's stay at home order. Lleida is approximately 110 miles away from the Catalan capital of Barcelona.

About 170 clusters have been detected in Catalonia, prompting regional authorities to close restaurants to customers dining in and prompting all non-essential services to operate by appointment only.

Citizens will also have to stay in the Lleida area except for essential reasons, such as going to work. The order was initially blocked by a judge, citing concerns it infringed on the constitutional rights of citizens.

California

First lockdown: 19/03 - 12/06

Second lockdown: 13/07

Population: 39.51m

Cases: 336,037

Deaths: 7,096

Key restrictions: The entire state of California rolled back the easing of its virus restrictions after a spike in cases through the month of June. Although "lockdown 2.0" will not be as restrictive as the first iteration, all bars and indoor dining spots have been closed, as well as zoos and museums.

In the 30 counties that are on Governor Gavin Newsom’s watchlist, including most of Southern California, gyms, churches, nail salons and other non-essential businesses will also be shuttered. Schools in Los Angeles and San Diego will begin the new academic year online.

Texas

First lockdown: 01/04 - 30/04

Second lockdown: 03/07

Population: 29m

Cases: 274,712

Deaths: 3,340

Key restrictions: Texas Governor Greg Abbott began encouraging people to stay at home in early July following a surge in cases in late June.

Masks were made mandatory in counties where over 20 cases were reported and bars were closed, although all other shops and services remain open for now. Restaurants can still serve indoors but capacity has been reduced to 50 per cent. Outdoor gatherings are now limited to 100 people, a reduction from 500.

Manila

First lockdown: 15/03 - 01/06

Second lockdown: 15/07

Population: 12.88m

Cases: 22,240

Deaths: 866

Key restrictions: 250,000 residents in the city of Navotas, one of the 16 cities that constitutes Metropolitan Manila, will return to lockdown after just six weeks of freedom. Shops and businesses may stay open, but outdoor exercise will be banned and restaurants will be limited to takeaway services.

The mayor of Navotas has requested soldiers be deployed to enforce the lockdown and arrest violators. Navotas is the prime fishing port of Manila and is one of the poorest districts in the capital.

Hong Kong

First lockdown: 22/01 - 19/06

Second lockdown: 15/07

Population: 7.45m

Cases: 1,522

Deaths: 8

Key restrictions: Despite being widely acknowledged as a global success when it comes to curbing the advance of the novel coronavirus, Hong Kong is reintroducing some lockdown restrictions after a small spike in cases. Hong Kong Disneyland will close, cinemas will shut their doors and gyms will put up the shutters.

Schools have closed a week early for the summer holidays and gatherings will be limited to four people, down from 50.  Restaurants will no longer offer dine-in services for the first time since the outbreak, with takeaways available after 6pm.

Tangier

First lockdown: 20/03 - 20/06

Second lockdown: 13/07

Population: 947,952

Cases: 2,966

Deaths: 56

Key restrictions: The Moroccan government has ordered a localised lockdown of the northern city of Tangier, cutting off all public transport both in and out. Cafes and public spaces have been closed and masks are mandatory. Tangier is suffering with 20 per cent of all cases in Morocco.

As such, citizens of the city may now only leave home for essential reasons, such as to buy food or medicine, and will need special authorisation to travel within the city. Tangier is the second Moroccan city to be placed under a repeat lockdown, after the southern city of Safi was restricted from July 5.

Bangalore

First lockdown: 24/03 - 01/06

Second lockdown: 14/07 - 22/07

Population: 8.43m

Cases: 38,843

Deaths: 684

Key restrictions: India’s IT hub will enter an initial seven-day lockdown after joining the ranks of New Delhi and Mumbai as the epicentres of India’s outbreak. All transport will be banned except in emergency situations and all non-essential shops will have to close their doors.

Places of worship and government offices will close but firms operating in the IT sector that provide back-office services for global corporations may keep their offices open, although they can only run at 50 per cent staffing capacity.

Uttar Pradesh

First lockdown: 24/03 - 01/06

Second lockdown: 18/07

Population: 204.2m

Cases: 36,476

Deaths: 934

Key restrictions: A weekend lockdown will come in to force in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. For at least the rest of July, the entire state will lockdown all weekend, from 10pm Friday to 5am Monday.

All shops and markets will be forced to close, although banks and construction sites will be allowed to stay open, provided social distancing guidelines are enforced.

Bihar

First lockdown: 24/03 - 01/06

Second lockdown: 16/07

Population: 99.02m

Cases: 16,642

Deaths: 143

Key restrictions: The northern state of Bihar will enter into a fresh 15-day lockdown to help flatten the curve and reduce the spread of coronavirus. Mass gatherings will stop and public transport will no longer be running.

Restaurants may remain open, but only to provide takeaway services, while schools and places of worship will remain shut. After two weeks, the lockdown will be re-evaluated.

Israel

First lockdown: 11/03 - 04/05

Second lockdown: 06/07

Population: 8.88m

Cases: 40,632

Deaths: 365

Key restrictions: Israel has closed all bars, clubs, gyms  and public swimming pools as cases begin to rise for a second time. Restaurants and places of worship will be permitted to stay open, although their occupancy will be reduced in order to help ensure social distancing.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped the new restrictions would be enough to prevent a full lockdown.

Beijing

First lockdown: 23/01 - 23/03

Second lockdown: 15/06 - 01/07

Population: 21.54m

Cases: 929

Deaths: 9

Key restrictions: Authorities swiftly reimposed strict lockdown measures in the Chinese capital of Beijing after cases of local transmission were linked to the Xinfadi wholesale food market in June.

21 residential communities housing 90,000 people were isolated and over eight million people were tested in just a couple of weeks.

Guetersloh

First lockdown: 05/03 -22/04

Second lockdown: 23/06 - 07/07

Population: 17.93m

Cases: 44,974

Deaths: 1,705

Key restrictions: Following an outbreak of Covid-19 cases at the Tonnies meatpacking plant, the town of Guetersloh in Germany was placed under quarantine.

Approximately 1,500 workers tested positive, prompting bars, restaurants and schools to close. All employees linked to the plant and their families were ordered to stay home even if they had not tested positive for the virus.