Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández tests positive for Covid-19 after the Sputnik vaccine

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In a series of tweets Posted Friday night – his birthday – the Argentine president said a fever and mild headache prompted him to get tested.

“I am already isolated, follow current protocol and follow my personal doctor’s instructions,” he said. “I have contacted the people I have met in the past 48 hours to assess whether it is close contact.”

An antigen test followed by a PCR test confirmed his Covid-19 diagnosis this weekend, it said Fernández’s medical teamThe 62-year-old leader’s health remains “stable, asymptomatic, with parameters within normal limits,” they said.

Argentina became the first Latin American country to distribute the Sputnik V vaccine in late December, purchasing up to 25 million doses. Fernández received his first dose of that vaccine on Jan. 21 and his second in February, a press officer from the Presidential Casa Rosada said.

It is possible to become infected after vaccination and test positive for Covid-19. Although vaccination reduces the risk of disease – especially in severe cases – it is still unclear to what extent each coronavirus vaccine prevents all infections.

The Russian Gamaleya Institute, which developed the Sputnik V vaccine, wished Fernández the best and emphasized the high protection of the shot against serious diseases.

“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! ” read a message The official Sputnik V Twitter account, citing rates published in February in the medical journal The Lancet.
Argentina’s first vaccination campaign was accompanied by a scandal, following revelations that a group of about 70 people had received early vaccination access, resulting in the resignation of then Health Minister Ginés González García.

Fernández defended his own early vaccination as necessary and appropriate, he told the press during a trip to Mexico in late February, although he acknowledged that the so-called “VIP vaccinations” took place under “irregular circumstances.”

“The media in Argentina put Alberto Fernández among the people who got the vaccine inappropriately, but I had to get the vaccine because the Argentine media said the Russian vaccine could not be trusted. I had to appeal to the trust of the citizens,” he said.

With only 1.5% of the country’s population fully vaccinated, the Argentine government remains on high alert. According to Argentina’s state news agency Telam, the country suspended all inbound flights from Brazil, Chile and Mexico last week due to increasing Covid-19 cases in those countries. Flights from the United Kingdom have also been suspended.

On Sunday, Argentina had confirmed more than 2,383,000 cases of Covid-19 and 56,106 deaths from the virus.

Fernández tweeted about his diagnosis on Friday, urging the country not to relax its vigilance. “It is clear that the pandemic is not over and we have to keep taking care of ourselves,” he wrote.

CNNE’s Ana Cucalon covered Atlanta, CNN’s Claudia Rebaza from London, Ivan Pérez Sarmienti from Buenos Aires, Jaide Garcia from Bogota and Karol Suarez from Mexico City.

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