Boost for Zimbabwe's vaccination drive as more vaccines arrive from China

HARARE, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's fight against the coronavirus pandemic received a major boost when the country took delivery of another batch of Sinopharm vaccines from China on Wednesday.

Another shipment of Sinopharm vaccines is also expected in the country on Thursday.

Zimbabwe has to date received several batches of Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines from China in addition to receiving small quantities of Russia's Sputnik V and India's Covaxin vaccines.

The Zimbabwe Medicines Control Authority on Wednesday approved the emergency use of the Johnson &Johnson vaccine against COVID-19. The country has so far authorized the use of five COVID-19 vaccines -- Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V, Covaxin from India and Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

The latest deliveries come at a time when the country is scaling up its vaccination program in the wake of the third wave of infections.

More than 1.5 million people in Zimbabwe have received their first shot, and nearly 700,000 have received their second dose since the vaccination program started in February.

The country is targeting to inoculate at least 10 million of its approximately 15 million citizens by year-end to achieve herd immunity.

Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in March last year, Zimbabwe has recorded 101,711 cases and 3,280 deaths.

The country saw its worst day in terms of pandemic-related deaths on Tuesday when 107 deaths were recorded in 24 hours.