Indian doctors and politicians have welcomed efficacy data for a state-backed coronavirus vaccine that was given emergency approval in January without the completion of a late-stage trial, making people reluctant to receive the shot.

According to Reuters, government data shows in that only 10 per cent of about 12.6 million people immunised in India have taken the Covaxin shot, which was found to be 81pc effective in an interim analysis of the late-stage trial, its developer Bharat Biotech said.

Any boost to the vaccine's acceptance in India, which reported new Covid-19 cases at their highest in five weeks, could also brighten its export prospects. Bharat Biotech said 40 countries were interested in Covaxin.