WHO says more than 170 countries have joined COVAX vaccine facility

More than 170 countries have joined the World Health Organisation's COVAX facility to boost development of vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the body's director general.

"More than 170 countries have joined the COVAX facility, gaining guaranteed access to the world's largest portfolio of vaccine candidates," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in pre-recorded comments in a webinar ahead of Friday's deadline to join the facility.