Premature relaxations may lead to a surge of new Covid-19 infections, the organisation said on Tuesday.

"At least until a vaccine, or a very effective treatment, is found, this process will need to become our new normal," Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director for the Western Pacific said, adding that lockdown measures have proved effective.

Any governments that are thinking of easing measures should plan to do it in stages while continuously monitoring the situation, he added.

"Individuals and society need to be ready for a new way ofliving," he said.

Countries like Japan and Singapore have seen recent surges in new infections, prompting concerns over a second wave of Covid-19 cases.