The health industry regulator in Brazil, Anvisa, says Blau Farmacêutica has asked for permission for emergency use there of the two-dose vaccine against COVID-19 devised by Sinopharm Group Co. Ltd of China.

The Brazilian company made the request on Monday, Anvisa announced in writing that day.

Anvisa says it is checking the paperwork submitted with the request, and that it may ask for more information.

Separately, the Reuters news agency reports that the vaccine against COVID-19 used most in Brazil is another product developed in China, CoronaVac, devised by Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

In another report, the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, says the Sinopharm vaccine has been given to people in Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, all lusophone parts of Africa.