Dismissed as useless, now apparently indispensable -- wearing a face mask as protection from the new coronavirus is becoming commonplace around the world as countries begin to emerge from lockdowns.
Here is a snapshot of the global measures on masks -- mandatory, recommended or optional -- provided by AFP bureaus worldwide. Obligatory nationwide Over 50 countries now require people to cover their faces when they leave home, especially on public transport and in shops.
In Africa, Cameroon imposed masks on April 9. Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Zambia followed.