Ukraine has reached 10,000 coronavirus cases as Health Minister Maksym Stepanov urged the public to be patient and not violate lockdown measures that have kept the country’s death toll far lower than in much of western Europe.

The government shut businesses such as cafes, restaurants, markets and cinemas last month, closed its borders to foreign citizens and shut down almost all air and rail travel, causing a spike in job losses.

Anger at the lockdown led to hundreds of businessmen protesting near the government building on Wednesday, while Stepanov also said more people were ignoring a ban on visiting parks.

Reuters quoted Stepanov as saying: “Thanks to the quarantine measures, we managed to avoid the peak incidence and peak load on the medical system.”