KYIV (REUTERS) - NEWcoronavirus infections spiked to their highest level in Ukraine since November on Thursday, prompting the capital Kyiv to impose a tight lockdown for three weeks starting on Saturday.

"We need to gain time and do everything to prevent the collapse of the medical system," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Theatres and shopping centres will be closed, spectators banned from sporting events, cafes and restaurants limited to providing takeaway food, schools will begin remote learning and all state employees will work from home, Klitschko said.

Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said the number of Ukrainians hospitalised for COVID-19 remained high with 4,376 new admissions in the past 24 hours, though down from a record 4,887 the day before.

With the surge in new infections and deaths, the prime minister has urged regional authorities to impose stronger restrictions on movement to contain the disease.

Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-03-18/ukraines-covid-19-cases-exceed-15-million