Iraq received a third batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government on Thursday, amid a surge in coronavirus infections due to the spread of the Delta variant.

The entry of larger quantities of vaccines into Iraq means that more Iraqis will receive the vaccine, limiting the virus' spread, and most importantly, reducing complications for the infected, said Ali al-Baldawi, director-general of the Iraqi State Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Appliances.

The Chinese vaccines are expected to give a push to the national immunization plan in Iraq to curb the recent increase of COVID-19 infections, as the country has been pushing forward its vaccination drive since the drug authority approved in January the emergency use of China's Sinopharm vaccine and other COVID-19 vaccines.