5 min ago
Venezuela receives 500-thousand doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine
From CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon, Juan Carlos Paz and Mitchell McCluskey
A shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccine is unloaded in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 1. Manaure Quintero/Reuters
Venezuela has received 500-thousand doses of the Sinopharm vaccine developed by China, President Nicolás Maduro announced.
“With great joy I announce that at this moment 500 thousand doses of Covid-19 vaccines are arriving in Venezuela, from the People's Republic of China. This is wonderful news that fills us with great hope. Soon, we will begin the mass vaccination of our people,” Maduro said on Twitter.
The vaccines, along with a load of medical supplies, such as masks and Covid-19 tests, landed at the Simón Bolivar Airport in Caracas late Monday night, the Venezuelan government reported.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Health approved the use of the Sinopharm vaccine on Monday.
“On behalf of the People of Venezuela, I thank our brother President Xi Jinping and the noble Chinese people, for their unwavering spirit of cooperation and solidarity towards our beloved homeland,” Maduro said.
This is the second shipment of vaccines to reach Venezuela, which received 100,000 of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in early February.
Venezuela is also in line to receive a share of vaccines through the
World Health Organization’s COVAX program, but negotiations have stalled due to the political situation in the country. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which handles COVAX distribution in the Americas, has previously said Venezuela would receive their share of vaccines as soon as their payment and delivery processes are finalized.
Venezuela currently has at least 139,545 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1,348 recorded deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
