WHO advisory group statement on AstraZeneca shot may come Wednesday -spokesman

GENEVA, March 17 (Reuters) - A World Health Organization advisory group may make a statement on the AstraZeneca AZN.L COVID-19 shot as early as Wednesday, a WHO spokesman said.

Global health experts have come under increasing pressure to clear up questions over the safety of AstraZeneca's vaccine, as the number of countries suspending its use grows in a blow to Europe's vaccination rollout.

The European Medicines Agency has said it is investigating reports of 30 cases of unusual blood disorders out of 5 million recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. In total, 45 million COVID shots have been delivered across the region.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, John Miller in Zurich and Ludwig Burger in Berlin; Writing by Nick Macfie; editing by John Stonestreet)

((nicholas.macfie@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3815; Reuters Messaging: nicholas.macfie.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))