Lebanon will on Monday begin the fourth phase of its reopening plan following a strict coronavirus lockdown aimed at curbing soaring cases.

Leading EU countries said Thursday they would resume AstraZeneca vaccinations after the European medical regulator said the jab is "safe and effective" and not associated with a higher blood clot risk after days of commotion around the shot. 

Intensive care beds for coronavirus patients in Syria's capital Damascus were full Thursday, a health ministry official said, in the first such announcement since the start of the pandemic.

Italy will resume administering AstraZeneca vaccines on Friday after the EU's drugs regulator said it was safe, four days after Rome suspended its use over fears of side effects, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said.

Britain's health regulator said Thursday said it had not found any direct links between AstraZeneca's vaccine and blood clots after a slew of countries halted the shot over health fears.

Lebanese private company Pharmaline will import one million doses of the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the owner of the company said.

The EU's drugs regulator said on Thursday that it had found the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine was "safe and effective" and was not linked to an increased risk of blood clots.

Around a dozen countries had suspended the use of the vaccine and were awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) safety committee.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday threatened to curbs EU exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday defended the safety of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, after several European countries halted its rollout over blood clot fears.

The EU's three biggest countries -- France, Italy and Germany -- are the latest to suspend AstraZeneca's Covid-19 shots because of fears over blood clots and other possible side effects, despite the company and the WHO insisting there is no risk.

Here's a recap: