Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging coronavirus infections.

Duterte issued the directive after a meeting with his Covid-19 task force — where everyone except him can be seen wearing the mandatory face covering — an official video released showed, according to AFP.

Thousands of people have been punished for violating Covid-19 rules since the end of March, when restrictions were tightened in the capital and surrounding provinces after a spike in cases.

The justice secretary and police chief have urged officers to fine offenders or make them do community service instead of arresting them, following the death of a man forced to do a hundred squats as punishment for breaking curfew.