SKOPJE, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from manufacturer Pfizer arrived in North Macedonia from Serbia on Sunday, Media Information Agency (MIA) reported.

According to MIA, the first batch of 4,680 out of 8,000 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses was handed out to Prime Minister Zoran Zaev by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the Tabanovce border crossing, northern North Macedonia.

Speaking at a press conference held at the border crossing, Zaev said that the delivery of the vaccines from Serbia is "an act of solidarity and friendship from the brotherly Serbian people."

Zaev thanked Vucic and Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic for their work and for providing North Macedonia with the vaccines. He added that the second vaccine batch will arrive in the coming days.

In his remarks, Vucic said: "I am happy that the citizens of North Macedonia will be able to start the immunization process now."

North Macedonia's Health Minister Venko Filipce, present at the press conference, told reporters that the vaccination program in the country will kick off on Feb. 17 and the first to receive the vaccine will be health professionals.

On Sunday, the Health Ministry reported 180 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total in North Macedonia to 97,052, with 87,652 recoveries and 2,989 fatalities.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in some countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, 242 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to the latest information released by the World Health Organization. Enditem

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