172 countries engaging with global vaccine plan: WHO

August 25, 2020 00:00:00

The confirmed global Covid-19 cases hit 23.63 million as of Monday morning, according to the latest www.worldometers.info tally, report agencies .

Besides, over 813,419 fatalities have been recorded globally, according to the data. More than 16 million people have got cured from the virus infections, the data shows.

The worst-hit US has seen over 5.7 million infections and more than 176,000 deaths so far - both the highest of any country in the world.

Meanwhile, the second worst-hit Brazil on Sunday reported that it registered 494 deaths from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the lowest number of fatalities in a single day since May 31. The total confirmed cases have been recorded 3,605,783 in Brazil.

India's Covid-19 total infections surpassed three million on Sunday.

The death toll from the pandemic in the country also surged to 56,706.

Another report adds: Some 172 countries are engaging with the COVAX facility designed to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, the World Health Organisation said on Monday, but more funding is needed and countries need now to make binding commitments .

Countries wishing to be part of the global COVAX plan have until Aug. 31 to submit expressions of interest, WHO officials said, with confirmation of intention to join due by Sept 18, and initial payments due by Oct 9.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the facility was critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and would not only pool risk for countries developing and buying vaccines, but also ensure prices are kept "as low as possible".

"Vaccine nationalism only helps the virus," he told a media briefing. "The success of the COVAX facility hinges not only on countries signing up to it, but also filling key funding gaps."

COVAX is co-led by the GAVI vaccines alliance, the WHO and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and is designed to guarantee equitable access globally to COVID-19 vaccines once they are developed and authorised for use.