Cabo Verde is about to take delivery of its first 50,000 doses of a vaccine against COVID-19 supplied by Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd of China, Lusa reports, citing Cabo Verdean Health Minister Arlindo do Rosário.

The Portuguese news agency quotes Mr do Rosário as saying on Wednesday that the order will raise to almost 200,000 the number of doses of vaccine against COVID-19 that his country can use between now and August.

Mr do Rosário said he was trying to get more for subsequent use, to ensure that 70 percent of eligible Cabo Verdeans are vaccinated this year.

The report says about 33,000 people in Cabo Verde, or 10 per cent of adults there, have received the first dose of a vaccine.

The Sinopharm vaccine has already been given to people in Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, Lusa says.