Authorities in Kenya are cracking down on civilians not wearing masks in public amid the coronavirus pandemic, with charges as severe as jail time for some offenders.

Nairobi issued a new law last week imposing fines of $200 and jail time up to six months for people who are caught in public without masks, even those inside private vehicles, according to Fox News.

"Now it is compulsory to put the face masks [on]," police inspector general Hillary Mutyambai said in a press briefing Wednesday. "I’ve instructed the police officers to enforce this."

Officials in Kenya are also mandating social distancing measures keeping people six feet away from each other while in public, similar to guidance from the U.S. government.

The African country also implemented a heavily enforced three-week lockdown that began on March 27 and will last until April 17.

The lockdown includes barring all movement by railroad and air throughout the Nairobi metropolitan area.

Kenya has reported a total of 225 cases of COVID-19, with 10 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.