Venezuela receives first shipment of Cuban coronavirus vaccine

FILE PHOTO: The word "COVID-19" is reflected in a drop on a syringe needle in this illustration taken November 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela received its first shipment of doses of leftist ally Cuba's Abdala coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, the South American country's vice president said, while slamming wealthy countries for "sabotaging" the COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme.

Authorities did not specify how many doses had arrived from Cuba, but did say that Venezuela had signed a contract to purchase 12 million doses of the shot. Cuba said earlier this week that the three-shot Abdala vaccine had proved 92.28% effective in last-stage clinical trials.