Syria's health ministry denies local report on Chinese vaccine arrival

An official source at the health ministry told Reuters the report was not true. The ministry later issued a statement saying it would announce details about vaccinations on Thursday. about the arrival or the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine will be clarified tomorrow in detail," the statement said.

Syria's healthy ministry denied on Wednesday a newspaper report that said Chinese coronavirus vaccines had arrived in the country and were being distributed nationwide.

Al Watan newspaper had reported earlier on Wednesday that vaccinations of healthcare workers would start on Thursday but it did not specify the quantity of vaccines that had arrived or the type. An official source at the health ministry told Reuters the report was not true.

The ministry later issued a statement saying it would announce details about vaccinations on Thursday. "All what was mentioned in some media .... about the arrival or the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine will be clarified tomorrow in detail," the statement said. (Reporting By Kinda Makieh, writing by Maha El Dahan Editing by Gareth Jones)