TASHKENT, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Uzbek government has recently told media that the country will carry out a phase-3 trial of a China-developed vaccine for COVID-19, which makes the vaccine China's fifth candidate to enter late-stage human tests overseas.

The ministry has announced that 5,000 Uzbek volunteers aged between 18 and 59 will attend the third phase of the pilot process, which will continue for a year.

Developed by China's Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical, the trial vaccine has been transported to Uzbekistan along with several Chinese specialists who will work on the monitoring of participants and training of Uzbek doctors.

Uzbekistan has so far confirmed 69,830 COVID-19 cases and 594 deaths, with 67,092 patients recovered.  ■