Nigeria puts six states on COVID-19 red alert, curbs gatherings

Nigeriahas putsixstatesonredalertafter seeing a "worrisome" rise inCOVID-19infections, a government official said, urging people to curbgatheringsand hold prayers outside mosques during this week's Muslim festival Eid-el-Kabir.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is like most parts of the continent now facing aCOVID-19third wave after detecting the more transmissible Delta variant.

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The head of the presidential steering committee onCOVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory had been placed onredalertas part of preventive measures against the pandemic.

Aredalertallows authorities in thestatesto restrict celebrations andgatheringsto a minimum.

"These steps are critical as we begin to see worrisome early signs of increasing cases inNigeria," Mustapha said in a statement.

Mustapha said there was potential for wider spread of the virus during the Eid-el-Kabirgatheringsand said Friday prayers should be held outside local mosques.

He also suspended Durbar, an annual Muslim festival in northernNigeria, which is marked by colourful horse riding events watched by largegatherings.

Last week,Nigeria, which has recorded 169,329 cases and 2,126 deaths said it expected to receive nearly 8 million additional doses ofCOVID-19vaccines by the end of August, including from a U.S. government donation.