Nigeria's Ekiti state imposes nighttime curfew

ANKARA (AA) - A regional government in Nigeria has imposed a nighttime curfew to contain the rising spread of coronavirus.

"The Government of Ekiti State has imposed a curfew from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. and banned all gatherings of more than 20 people until further notice," it said in a statement on Sunday.

The new guidelines were announced citing an "alarming rate at which the second wave of COVID-19 is spreading in Nigeria and elsewhere."

Nigeria’s health authorities have so far confirmed 100,087 COVID-19 infections and 1,358 related deaths. A record 1,664 infections were registered in the West African country on Jan. 6. Ekiti has seen 439 cases.

Cases, however, have witnessed a fall as 1,024 infections were registered in the last 24 hours, compared to 1,585 the day before.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said that starting from today, all incoming travelers require a COVID-19 test done not more than four days before boarding.

Last week, immigration chief Muhammed Babandede had warned that foreign visitors who fail to present their COVID-19 test certificates on arrival could have their visas revoked.