The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 397 new infections of COVID-19 Monday.
In a Twitter update via its verified handle, the government agency said there are now 84,811 confirmed cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in Nigeria.
A total number of 71,357 people it said, have so far been discharged from hospital, while the number of deaths so far is 1,264.
As of Monday, more than 81.1 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide with more than 45.8 million considered recovered or resolved, according to a case-tracking tool maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The global death toll stood at more than 1.7 million.
In Africa, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reimposed a ban on alcohol sales and ordered the closure of all bars Monday as part of new restrictions to help the country battle a resurgence of the coronavirus, including a new variant.
According to the CBC, in a nationwide address, Ramaphosa also announced the closure of all beaches and public swimming pools in the country’s infection hotspots, which include Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and several coastal areas.
South Africa will extend its nighttime curfew so all residents must be at home from 9 pm until 6 am, the president said.
The president said that wearing masks is mandatory and that anyone found not wearing a mask in a public place will be subject to a fine or a criminal charge punishable by a possible jail sentence.
He said the increased restrictions are necessary because of a surge in COVID-19 infections which has pushed South Africa’s cumulative virus cases above one million.
In Europe, Spain’s COVID-19 death toll surpassed 50,000 on Monday, while the number of infections per 100,000 people fell for the first time in nearly three weeks, health ministry data showed.
Health Emergency Chief Fernando Simon told a news conference the figures showed a “stabilisation” in the level of contagion and a reduction in the number of deaths. Still, he warned the data could be revised in the coming days, as the Christmas holidays likely caused some disruption to the statistics submitted by regional authorities.
