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Lagos eases virus lockdown, reopening churches, mosques

Published Aug 2, 2020 09:20 am

The governor of Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos said on Saturday churches and mosques would reopen next week as the authorities move to ease the lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

COLUMBUS, OH - JULY 31: A Medical Worker in full PPE prepares to conduct COVID-19 tests on patients at The Ohio State East Hospital on July 31, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that the midwest is the next hot bed for coronavirus infections in a recent press briefing. Governor Mike DeWine issued a Statewide order for restaurants and bars to stop serving alcohol effective at 10pm. Despite coronavirus cases spiking in midwest states like Ohio, many still opt to go out to bars and breweries with friends. Dr. Anthony Fauci has warned that the midwest is the next hot bed for coronavirus infections in a recent press briefing. Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images/AFP
A Medical Worker in full PPE prepares to conduct COVID-19 tests on patients at The Ohio State East Hospital on July 31, 2020 in Columbus, Ohio. ( Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images/AFP)

"Places of worship in Lagos will now be opened from Friday, the 7th of August for our Muslim worshippers, and on Sunday, the 9th of August for our Christian worshippers," Babajide Sanwo-Olu said in a statement.

But the numbers of worshippers will be limited as a measure to prevent further infections.

"We will only allow 50 per cent of their maximum capacities, either at the church or at the mosque," he said. 

"For the avoidance of doubt, there will be Friday worships for our Muslim followers and Sunday worships for our Christian followers," the governor said. 

But night vigils and other services are still not allowed, he added.

Sanwo-Olu also advised elderly worshippers from 65 years to stay at home.

Lagos, Nigeria's largest city of over 20 million inhabitants, shut churches, mosques, night clubs and hotels in March as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The virus has so far infected 43,151 people and killed 879 since the first case was listed in late February, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

Lagos, the country's largest city, is the epicenter of the outbreak in Nigeria, with more than 15,000 confirmed cases and 192 deaths.

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