(Reuters) – Nicaragua has authorised two Cuban-made coronavirus vaccines to be used in the Central American nation, the Cuban state-run pharmaceutical corporation BioCubaFarma said on Saturday.
Cuban scientists have developed three vaccines against COVID-19, all of which are waiting to receive official recognition from the World Health Organization.
BioCubaFarma said on Twitter that the Health Regulation Authority of Nicaragua’s Health Ministry authorised the Abdala and Soberana vaccines for emergency use.
Nicaragua’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cuba is the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to successfully develop a coronavirus vaccine.
Cuba’s biotech sector has a long history of vaccine development, producing 80% of vaccines used in the country and exporting some of them.
Venezuela, Vietnam and Iran have also granted emergency use authorisation for Cuban vaccines.
(Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
