The Republic of Congo next Monday will reopen air borders that it closed in late March to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, officials said Thursday.

Land, river and sea borders will remain closed, except for the transport of cargo, which has been authorised.

The national coronavirus management committee has approved the opening of air borders from Monday, according to Thierry Moungalla, the minister of communication.

In an internal message seen by AFP on Thursday, the foreign ministry instructed embassy and consular workers to take steps to return to their place of work from Monday.

The Republic of Congo -- also known as Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its bigger neighbour the Democratic Republic of Congo -- recorded its first case of COVID-19 on March 14.

The country has recorded 3,850 infections so far, 77 of them fatal.