Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has tested positive for COVID-19, about two months after receiving a dose of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, CNN reports.
Fernandez wrote on Twitter on Friday that he had received a positive antigen test after observing a temperature of 37.3ºC (99.14ºF). Another PCR test confirmed this diagnosis.
“I am already isolated, I comply with the current protocol and I follow the instructions of my personal doctor,” Fernández said in a tweet translated from Spanish. “I’ve contacted the people I’ve met in the last 48 hours to assess if they’re a close contact.”
While we are awaiting confirmation through the PCR test, I am already isolated, complying with the current protocol and following the directions of my personal physician.
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) April 3, 2021
CNN notes that it can still be infected with the coronavirus after receiving a vaccine, which has been shown to reduce the likelihood of infection and especially a serious infection. An analysis published by the British medical journal The Lancet in February found that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine is approximately 91.6 effective.
The Gamaleya Institute, the Moscow-based institute that developed the Sputnik V vaccine, wished Fernandez well on Twitter.
“We are sad to hear that. Sputnik V has 91.6% efficacy against infection and 100% efficacy against severe cases. If infection is confirmed and occurs, vaccination guarantees a fast recovery without serious symptoms. We wish you a speedy recovery! ” “the institute wrote on Twitter.
The Gamaleya Institute: We are sad to hear this. #SputnikV it is effective against 91.6% against infection and 100% against severe cases. If the infection is confirmed and occurs, vaccination guarantees a speedy recovery without serious symptoms. We wish you a speedy recovery!
– Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) April 3, 2021
The start of the launch of the Argentine vaccine was marked by a scandal, CNN notes, after it was revealed that about 70 people had early access to the COVID-19 vaccine, including Fernández.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Argentina has confirmed more than 2.3 million cases of coronavirus and more than 56,000 related deaths.