But he said that beginning mass vaccines now "has more benefits than risks. While other Latin American nations are producing foreign vaccines under license, only Cuba so far has developed its own. Portal said the government plans to start mass vaccines with some 700,000 people in seven Havana districts hardest hit by COVID-19 such as Habana del Este. Cuba is experiencing an outbreak of infections that began last December after months in which some localities went weeks without cases. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, Cuba has reported 121,838 cases and 785 deaths.

Source: ABC News May 14, 2021 20:15 UTC