Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández tested positive for COVID-19 about two months after receiving a dose of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, CNN reports.
Fernández wrote on Twitter Friday that he had received a positive antigen test after observing a temperature of 37.3 ° C (99.14 ° F). Another PCR test confirmed this diagnosis.
“I am already isolated, follow current protocol and follow my personal doctor’s instructions,” Fernandez said in a tweet translated from Spanish. “I have contacted the people I have met in the past 48 hours to assess whether it is close contact.”
Although we are waiting for confirmation by the PCR test, I am already isolated, following the current protocol and following the instructions of my personal doctor.
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) April 3, 2021
CNN notes that it is still possible to be infected by the coronavirus after receiving an injection of a vaccine, which has been shown to reduce the risk of infection and especially serious infection. An analysis published by the British medical journal The Lancet in February found that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is about 91.6 effective.
Gamaleya Institute, the Moscow-based institute that developed the Sputnik V vaccine, wished Fernandez the best on Twitter.
“We are sorry to hear this. Sputnik V is 91.6% effective against infection and 100% effective against severe cases. If infection is indeed confirmed and occurs, the vaccination will ensure a speedy recovery without serious symptoms. We wish you a quick recovery! ” the institute wrote on Twitter.
The Gamaleya Institute: We are sorry to hear this. #SputnikV is 91.6% effective against infection and 100% effective against severe cases. If the infection is indeed confirmed and occurs, the vaccination ensures a speedy recovery without serious symptoms. We wish you a speedy recovery!
– Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) April 3, 2021
The start of the Argentina vaccine rollout has been marked by a scandal, CNN notes, after it was revealed that about 70 people were given early access to the COVID-19 vaccine, including Fernández.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Argentina has confirmed more than 2.3 million coronavirus cases and more than 56,000 related deaths.