Belgium tightened its rules on wearing face masks, making them compulsory in outdoor markets and busy shopping areas, as fears of a resurgence of coronavirus grow, according to AFP.

Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes gave the order, which comes into force on Saturday, as she postponed plans to further ease Belgium's anti-coronavirus restrictions next month.

Masks were already obligatory inside Belgian shops, cinemas, museums and places of worship, and citizens are supposed to limit their social contacts to a bubble of no more than 15 people per week.

But Wilmes warned that it was important to follow these rules more diligently and added that customers should use masks in bars and restaurants except when sat at tables.