Algeria has ended a full lockdown on the Blida province, the epicentre of the corona virus pandemic in the country, replacing it with a curfew during the holy month of Ramadan.

Prime Minister ABDELAZIZ DJERAD says the curfew will begin at 2 pm local time and end at 7am the next day.

Other nine provinces, including the capital Algiers that had a curfew starting from 3 pm local time will now have a relaxed curfew starting from 5 pm.

Algerian President ABDELMADJID TEBBOUNE said there had been improvement since the lockdown was imposed and soon normal life would resume.