Panama City (AFP) - The government of Panama on Monday announced strict quarantine measures that separate citizens by gender in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

From Wednesday, men and women will only be able to leave their homes for two hours at a time, and on different days.

Until now, quarantine regulations were not based on gender.

Men will be able to go to the supermarket or the pharmacy on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and women will be allowed out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

No one will be allowed to go out on Sundays.

The new measures will last for 15 days.

"This absolute quarantine is for nothing more than to save your life," security minister Juan Pino said at a press conference.

According to Pino, more than 2,000 people were detained last week for not abiding by the quarantine.

Since the first case was reported on March 10, Panama has confirmed 1,075 cases of the coronavirus, 43 of which are in intensive care, and 27 deaths.