Eight people have been killed in a crush that took place outside a stadium that was hosting a game in Cameroon's capital city on Monday.

The crush happened as fans were trying to get into Olembe Stadium, which was hosting a game against Comoros in a last 16 knockout game.

Cameroon is currently hosting the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 50 years. It was meant to host it in 2019, but Egypt became host that year amid concerns over Cameroon's preparations, and the readiness of its stadiums.

At least 40 injured people were rushed to the hospital, but officials said the hospital was not able to treat all the casualties, some of whom were in critical condition and needed to be evacuated to specialized hospitals.

The crush took place as stadium officials made the decision to close the gates and stop allowing people in, with women and children caught in the middle. The eight recorded deaths included two women, four men, and a child, with the eighth victim's body retrieved by the family.