Italy's Draghi says EMA comments on AstraZeneca vaccine encouraging

Italian PM Draghi visits a mass vaccination centre at Fiumicino Airport near Rome

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Tuesday the latest comments by Europe's Medicines Agency (EMA) on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were encouraging.

Italy and numerous other EU nations have suspended use of the vaccine after some people it was administered to suffered blood clotting problems.

Draghi spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday and the two leaders agreed they were ready to begin inoculating with the AstraZeneca product "quickly" if EMA gives a green light on Thursday, a statement from Draghi's office said.

"The preliminary statement today from EMA was positive," the statement said.

(Reporting By Gavin Jones, editing by Crispian Balmer)