Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said he sees no need for now to declare a state of emergency in the country as part of coronavirus containment measures.

"At present, there is no need to enact a state of emergency in Ukraine. A state of emergency is declared when some emergencies occur. The pace at which coronavirus is spreading in Ukraine today is quite moderate in comparison with [what is happening in] many countries of Europe," Shmyhal told the ICTV television channel.

The measures currently being taken by the authorities are sufficient for now, said the prime minister.

"This week, the situation doesn't look like as though there is a need to declare a state of emergency in Ukraine," he said.

Nevertheless, the situation could change within the next few weeks, he said.

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Ukrainians to stay at home in order to minimize the number of new COVID-19 cases and make it easier for doctors to tackle them.