Today, the authorities running eastern Libya confirmed a first case of the coronavirus despite efforts to close borders and impose a curfew to limit social interactions.

Libya has confirmed a total of 20 cases of the new coronavirus, with the others in the western areas controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

The United Nations and aid agencies have urged Libya’s warring factions to stop fighting, but the conflict has increased in the past two weeks and projectiles hit a hospital in a GNA-held area of Tripoli on Monday.