Conducted in 20 African countries, the survey found that more than two-thirds of people asked said they would run out of food and water if they had to stay at home for 14 days. Just over half of the respondents said they would run out of money.

The research, carried out on behalf of the Africa Centres of Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, shows the difficulties of maintaining strict lockdown policies.

Several African countries which had responded swiftly to the coronavirus threat are now easing restrictions.

The report, called Using Data to Find a Balance, warned that if measures are not adapted to local needs then African countries "risk unrest and violence".

"The proliferation of peaceful protests demanding government relief is evidence of the strain some people are already under, and highlights gaps in current responses," the authors say.

But currently it found that there was general support for restrictions that had been put into place.

They recommend that governments need to communicate effectively with their citizens and properly inform them about the reasons behind the measures that are being taken.