DUBAI • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has granted emergency approval for use of a coronavirus vaccine, six weeks after human trials in the Gulf Arab state started.

A Phase III trial of a Covid-19 inactivated vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical company Sinopharm began in the UAE in July.

"The vaccine will be available to our first line of defence heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," said the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority in a tweet.

The announcement comes amid a surge in new Covid-19 cases in the UAE, which reported 1,007 cases last Saturday, its highest since the start of the pandemic. There were 777 new cases on Monday.

Emergency use of the vaccine, which is still being tested, was granted under set criteria and after it had been tested on 31,000 volunteers, it said.

Mild and expected side effects occurred but there have been no severe side effects, the agency said without specifying. It added that 1,000 people suffering from chronic diseases who took part saw no complications.

Sinopharm secured approval for the trial in late June. The experimental vaccine passed Phases I and II of clinical trials with 100 per cent of volunteers generating antibodies after two doses in 28 days, an Abu Dhabi government statement said in July.

REUTERS