OSLO (Reuters) - Norway on Tuesday extended curbs on a range of public and private institutions until April 13, including the closure of schools and nurseries, to try to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

"The measures we have imposed appear to be slowing transmission of the virus, but we need more time to see what effect they are having," Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference.

The restrictions, which also include refusing entry to foreigners who do not live and work in the Nordic country and forbidding people to go to their mountain cabins if they have one, were initially imposed until March 26.

With the decision, Norway is joining fellow Nordic country Denmark in prolonging the restrictions until after the Easter holiday.

Among new measures, the government also asked that no more than five people gather together outside and that indoors people keep a distance of two metres (6.6 ft) from one another, except for members of the same household.

But the government did not ask Norwegians to confine themselves to their homes as other countries, like France or Spain, have done.

Norwegians love going to mountain cabins at Easter for a last bout of skiing. Solberg's advice to them was clear: "Get yourself some good games. Pretend you are in your cabin. But stay at home," she said.

The total number of infected people in Norway rose to 2,566 on Tuesday, up 196 from a day earlier, according to the official count by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Ten people have passed away as a result of the coronavirus.