Millions of coronavirus shots from the global Covax scheme have arrived in Nigeria, Angola and Kenya, as African countries ramp up their vaccine rollouts.

U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce a "historic" deal Tuesday for pharma giant Merck to produce rival Johnson & Johnson's single-dose Covid-19 vaccine to boost supply nationwide, the White House said.

Biden "will announce an unprecedented historic step" later Tuesday afternoon, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, as part of the administration efforts to contain a virus that has claimed more than 500,000 U.S. lives.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to allow more socialising between households from next week as part of plans to gradually loosen virus curbs in the Covid-weary nation, a draft text showed Tuesday.

The plane laden with vaccines had just rolled to a stop at Santiago's airport in late January, and Chile's president, Sebastián Piñera, was beaming. "Today," he said, "is a day of joy, emotion and hope."

The source of that hope: China – a country that Chile and dozens of other nations are depending on to help rescue them from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iraq on Tuesday received 50,000 Sinopharm vaccines donated by China, the health ministry announced, launching a long-awaited vaccination campaign.

Spain suffered its second-worst month for coronavirus deaths in February with 10,528 fatalities, the worst figure since April last year, government figures showed on Monday. 

A scientific committee formed by caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Monday granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Chinese anti-Covid vaccine Sinopharm.

The committee has been tasked with discussing the registration of vaccines submitted by the private sector.

Israel's top court ruled Monday the government must curb its use of the domestic spy agency to track coronavirus infections, saying "draconian" surveillance constituted a blow to democracy.

Britain announced Sunday that it has given more than 20 million people at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with the rapid rollout providing hope in a country with Europe's highest death toll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "a huge national achievement" while praising National Health Service staff and others involved for "tireless work." 

Israel on Sunday confirmed it will vaccinate Palestinians in the West Bank with permits to work in Jewish settlements in the occupied territory and inside Israel.