Crisis-hit Tunisia receives 1.5 mln COVID-19 vaccines from Italy

Crisis-hit Tunisia, which has one of the world’s highest coronavirus death rates, received 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from Italy on Sunday, the president’s office announced.

President Kais Saied, who a week ago dismissed the prime minister and suspended parliament, was on hand to receive the consignment and launched a stinging attack on the performance of the ousted government.

Read the latest updates in our dedicated coronavirus section.

“More than a year has gone by, meeting after meeting has been held, and yet people are being hospitalized and dying by the hundreds each day,” he said.

Apart from political and economic crises, the North African country of almost 12 million inhabitants has suffered close to 20,000 Covid-related deaths.

European and Gulf nations, Tunisians abroad and ordinary citizens have organized equipment and vaccine donations that are now helping to battle the country’s outbreak.

Tunisia also received one million Moderna vaccine doses from the US on Friday.

Saied this week announced the establishment of a coronavirus crisis unit, supervised by a high-level military official.

Read more:

UK finance minister presses for COVID-19 travel rules easing: Report

Saudi Arabia’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for public places goes into effect