China donated 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday to war-torn Syria, which has one of the world's lowest inoculation rates and what the UN called an alarming rise in cases.

The latest shipment raises to almost two million the number of such deliveries to Syria in a week.

Less than two percent of Syria's population have been vaccinated and cases of infection are spiking, United Nations under secretary-general Martin Griffiths warned last month.

Damascus last week received more than 1.3 million doses of Chinese-made vaccine Sinovac under the global Covax programme set up to try to ensure an equitable delivery of jabs.

Health Minister Hassan Ghabash, speaking to journalists, praised the latest donation of another Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm.

Beijing's ambassador Feng Biao, whose country is a Syria regime ally, said Sunday's consignment raised to 800,000 the number of Sinopharm doses provided by Beijing.

Ghabash said his health services have vaccinated more than 600,000 people and urged more Syrians to come forward for their jabs.

More than 46,000 cases, including 2,661 deaths, have been officially registered in government-controlled regions, but medics and activist groups believe the actual figure is much higher.

The rebel-held Idlib region of northwest Syria, which has recorded more than 90,000 cases, including 2,000 deaths, says it has received almost 690,000 vaccine doses under Covax and inoculated 77,000 people.

The Kurdish administration of northeast Syria that receives vaccines via Damascus has registered 1,500 Covid deaths from 37,000 cases, and about 40,000 residents have been vaccinated.

Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Beijing seals off mall, housing compounds over virus outbreak
Beijing (AFP) Nov 11, 2021
Beijing authorities have sealed off a mall and locked down several residential compounds over a Covid flare-up, as the latest outbreak spread to the Chinese capital's central districts. China has largely curbed widespread transmission of the coronavirus through snap lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions, but authorities are on high alert after a nationwide spike linked to domestic travel in the past month. Six new cases were found in Beijing's central districts of Chaoyang and Haidian ... read more