TASHKENT, July 30. /TASS/. The first batch of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine has been produced at Jurabek laboratories in the city of Almalyk in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent Region, head of the country’s Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service Bakhodir Yusupaliev said on Friday.

"The first batch of the Sputnik V vaccine has already been produced. It has been sent to the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Russia for checks on the quality of the vaccine. This is a required procedure, it is carried out everywhere, we are currently waiting for the results of the inspection, after which the full-fledged production will be possible in the republic," he was quoted as saying by Uzbekistan-24 TV channel.

At the first stage, the vaccine will be produced using raw materials from Russia, Yusupaliev said, adding that in the future a full cycle of production from local components will be launched for which the construction of a new lab has already been started.

Mass vaccination of the Uzbek population started in April. For this the Russian vaccine Sputnik V is used, as well as the vaccine produced in India under the license of the British-Swedish AstraZeneca company, and the vaccine of China’s Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical. According to recent data, around 1.5 mln people have been fully vaccinated in the republic with a population of around 35 mln people, while almost 5 mln Uzbek citizens have received the first component of one of the three vaccines.

Moreover, 3.06 mln doses of the Moderna vaccine provided to Uzbekistan at no expense under the international COVAX program, were delivered to the country on Friday. It is one of three vaccines used in the US, and one of six vaccines approved by the World Health Organization for urgent use. The vaccination course consists of two doses injected with an interval of 28 days.

Today today, 897 coronavirus new cases were registered in the republic, which is the highest rate since the beginning of the year. In total, Uzbekistan has reported 128,403 coronavirus cases, 122,368 (95%) patients recovered, while 866 people have died.