Nigeria's COVID-19 tally nears 150,000

Nigeria reported eight more COVID-19 deaths and 869 new infections on Wednesday evening.

The figures took the country's overall count to 149,369, including 1,787 deaths and 125,722 recoveries, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in an update.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, has been facing a new wave of infections and is aiming to start COVID-19 vaccinations in the coming months.

Officials have said the first batch of vaccine doses will arrive by the end of February.

According to Nigeria's Health Ministry, some 80% of COVID-19 patients in the country are asymptomatic but can spread the disease to other people.

It has urged the public to continue wearing masks and follow all safety guidelines. All travelers entering Nigeria are also required to take a COVID-19 test five days before departure.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said earlier this week it will "continually monitor side effects in people who have received COVID-19 vaccines" to ascertain their benefits and safety.

The agency said it will "evaluate COVID-19 vaccines against the same high standards as all other vaccines before they can be released for use."