The Ethiopian government has warned the public over the spike of new COVID-19 infections amid lax precautionary measures.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in Ethiopia has increased from 5 percent two weeks ago to 36 percent amid increasing infection rate, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, under the Ministry of Health, disclosed Friday.

The East African country has registered more than 29,200 new cases over the past week, one of the highest weekly infection rates since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

Noting recently loosening precautions exhibited among the public, the institute urged Ethiopians from all walks of life to maintain vigilance against the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia's Minister of Health Lia Tadesse on Friday called on the public to urgently receive COVID-19 vaccine doses, which are now available across health centers in the East African country. Booster doses are now available for those who have passed six months since being fully vaccinated.

As of Friday evening, Ethiopia had recorded 424,340 COVID-19 cases, including 3,998 during the past 24 hours. The death toll from the pandemic currently stood at 6,947, according to the ministry.

The East African country has administered 10,916,348 doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far. 

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