Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has tested positive for Covid-19 after Sputnik vaccine

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In a series of tweets published Friday evening, his birthday, the Argentine president said a fever and a slight headache had motivated him to take the test.

“I am already isolated, following the current protocol and following the instructions of my personal physician,” he said. “I’ve contacted the people I’ve met in the last 48 hours to assess if they’re a close contact.”

An antigen test followed by a PCR test confirmed his diagnosis of Covid-19 this weekend, according to Fernández’s medical team. The health of the 62-year-old leader 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, with the purchase of up to 25 million doses. Fernandez received his first dose of the vaccine on Jan. 21 and the second in February, a presidential spokesman at the presidential Rosada House said.

It is possible to become infected and test positive for Covid-19 after the vaccine. Although vaccination reduces the likelihood of getting sick (especially severe cases), it is still unclear to what extent each coronavirus vaccine prevents all infections.

The Gamaleya Institute in Russia, which developed the Sputnik V vaccine, wished Fernández well and stressed the high protection of the shot against serious diseases.

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

Fernandez defended his own early vaccination as necessary and appropriate, he told reporters during a trip to Mexico in late February, although he acknowledged that so-called “VIP vaccines” occurred in “irregular circumstances.”

“The media in Argentina placed Alberto Fernández among the people who received the vaccine inappropriately, but I had to receive the vaccine because the Argentine media said that the Russian vaccine could not be trusted. to draw on the trust of the citizens “. He said.

With only 1.5% of the country’s population now fully vaccinated, the Argentine government remains on high alert. Last week, the country suspended all incoming flights from Brazil, Chile and Mexico due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in those countries, according to Argentine state news agency Telam. Flights from the UK have also been suspended.

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

In a tweet about his diagnosis on Friday, Fernandez urged the country not to drop the guard. “It is clear that the pandemic did not happen and we must continue to take care of ourselves,” he wrote.

CNNE’s Ana Cucalon reported from 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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