The Latest: Pakistan starts vaccinating people 60 or older

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has started vaccinating people who are 60 years old or above to protect them from COVID-19 amid a steady increase in cases and fatalities from the disease.

Pakistan is currently using China's Sinopharm vaccine, which was donated to it by Beijing last month.

Pakistan hopes to start receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine this month under the World Health Organization's COVAX Facility. Authorities say Pakistan will receive 17 million doses of coronavirus vaccines under the scheme from March to June.

Fatalities and confirmed cases from the coronavirus have increased steadily since March 1, when Pakistan resumed regular classes at schools. On Wednesday, Pakistani authorities were expected to decide whether schools should again be closed.

Pakistan has reported 595,239 cases, including 13,324 deaths.

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

BERLIN — A German doctors’ union is calling for its members to be able to vaccinate people with chronic illnesses against the coronavirus.

The Marburger Bund said in a statement Wednesday that GPs and specialists said people...