Denmark to make face masks compulsory on public transport

COPENHAGEN, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Wearing face masks on public transport will be compulsory in Denmark from Aug. 22 following a spike in numbers of new coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Saturday.

In mid-April, Denmark became one the first European countries to ease its coronavirus lockdown as the epidemic appeared to be contained, but the reproduction rate at which it is spreading rose above 1.5 in the past week, the highest reading since early April.

Frederiksen said the surge also meant that plans to remove a limit on the size of public gatherings would be deferred, with the limit remaining at 100 people for the time being.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen)