Georgia receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines

TBILISI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Georgia on Saturday received its first batch of 43,200 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine via the COVAX platform.

This handout picture provided by Georgian Health Ministry press office on March 13, 2021 shows workers unloading the first shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Tbilisi airport. (Photo: AFP)

The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines will be given to priority groups including medical workers from Monday, which will mark the beginning of the nationwide vaccination campaign in Georgia, Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze said at a news briefing in Tbilisi.

Georgia on Saturday reported 344 new COVID-19 cases, taking its total to 274,721, according to the country's National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC).

Data from the NCDC showed that 240 more patients have recovered in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 268,004.

Meanwhile, nine people have died in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 3,643.

The NCDC said 32,090 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country.

Georgia reported its first confirmed case on Feb. 26, 2020.