Yaounde: Eight people were killed and around 50 were injured in a crush outside the Camernian soccer stadium Monday ahead of the African Cup match.
The crowd tried to enter the south entrance at the Olege Stadium in the capital Yaounde to watch the host nation playing a commort.
Although the stadium capacity of 60,000 was limited due to the fear of Coronavirus, the 60 percent limit was raised to 80 percent when the lion could not be played by Cameroon.
“Eight deaths were recorded, two women in their thirties, four men aged three, one child, one body was taken by the family,” According to a report of the Ministry of Health Preliminary obtained by AFP.
The ministry said the victims were “immediately transported” in the ambulance, but “road traffic slowed transportation”.
About 50 people were injured in a crush, including two people with several injuries and two more with serious head injuries, the ministry said.
A baby was also reportedly trampled by the crowd, the ministry added, even though the baby was “immediately extracted and taken to Yaounde General Hospital” and was in a medical “stable” condition.
The tournament organizer was previously confirmed to AFP that the victim was recorded without providing further details.
The African Cup of the Nations Organizing Committee spokesman Abel Mbengue to AFP: “There is a crush as can happen when there is a raid.
We are waiting for reliable information about the number of victims in this tragic incident”.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), who runs the continental superior competition, said it was “investigating the situation and trying to get more details about what happened”.
In an online statement, the organization said he had sent the Secretary General to “visit supporters at the Hospital in Yaounde”.
This adds it in “constant communication with the Cameroon government and the local organizing committee”.
Minister of Health Cameroon Manouja Malachie Tweeting images that showed him to visit the hospital who took care of those who were injured in the incident.
“Everything is done to give them free care and best support,” he tweeted.
CAF will hold a “crisis meeting” with the organizing committee on Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m.
(0830 GMT), dedicated exclusively for security problems at the stadium, a source close to the CAF to AFP.
Cameroon was intended to host the African Cup in 2019.
However, the event was transferred to Egypt in January of the year because of the concern of the Cameroon Stadium was not ready for the match.
CAF disarmed the tournament state, citing delays in the construction of stadium and infrastructure projects, as well as question marks for security.
Density in soccer matches around the world has resulted in a number of deaths.
Thousands of fans in the Egyptian Cairo capital in 2015 tried to enter the stadium to watch the match, triggered panic when police fired tear gas and birdshot and produced 19 dead.
In April 2001, 43 people died in Staded at Ellis Park Johannesburg Stadium during the match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
And in Guatemala in October 1996, 90 people were killed in a crush during the World Cup qualifying match between the host country and Costa Rica at Overpacked Stadium.
In the field, Cameroon sealed their place in the last eight tournaments with a 2-1 victory and will now play Gambia in the quarter-finals.
The commortal side has qualified for the last 16 in their first appearance in the Nations Cup.