The coronavirus pandemic must not be used as an excuse for countries to adopt repressive measures that trample over individual human rights for reasons unrelated to the pandemic, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.

Guterres on Thursday April 23 said that what had started as a public health emergency was rapidly turning into a human rights crisis.

In its new report on Covid-19 and human rights, the UN highlighted how human rights should guide the response and recovery to the health, social and economic crisis affecting the world.

Releasing the report, Guterres called for a global ceasefire, and warned of a growth in domestic violence as a result of the virus.

"We see the disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response," Guterres said.

The new coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19, has so far infected more than 2.7 million people globally while more than 190,985 patients have died in 185 countries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

The UN report pointed out that migrants, refugees and internally displaced people are particularly vulnerable. It said more than 131 countries have closed their borders, with only 30 allowing exemptions for asylum-seekers.

"Against the background of rising ethno-nationalism, populism, authoritarianism and a pushback against human rights in some countries, the crisis can provide a pretext to adopt repressive measures for purposes unrelated to the pandemic," he said. "This is unacceptable."

Thousands "have been pushed back or deported to dangerous environments since the crisis began. Refugees, IDPs [internally displaced persons] and migrants live in overcrowded conditions with unlimited access to sanitation and healthcare,” the UN said in its briefing paper.

The report also emphasized that "Without adequate safeguards, these powerful technologies may cause discrimination, be intrusive and infringe on privacy, or may be deployed against people or groups for purposes going far beyond the pandemic response.”