MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2020) President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday he counted on Russia sending free COVID-19 vaccines to the country, media reported.
According to CNN Philippines, which broadcast the president's speech on the latest COVID-19 update in the country, Duterte said that he would soon speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss vaccine distribution and clinical trials in the country.
Russia's first COVID-19 vaccine has been developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defense Ministry. Clinical trials of the vaccine began on June 18 at two institutions � the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital and the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University � and included 38 volunteers. All of the participants developed an immunity. The first group was discharged on July 15, the second group on July 20.
The Philippines' health authorities have registered over 136,000 cases of COVID-19 infection and 2,294 deaths. The spread of the disease appeared slow at first but has considerably hastened in the past week or so, with around 3,000 new cases being reported daily.
