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The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, who turned 62 yesterday and had already been vaccinated against COVID-19, received confirmation this Saturday that he had contracted the virus.
This Saturday the fears of President Alberto Fernández were confirmed: he tested positive for COVID-19. The president had reported on Friday that he had a fever and a mild headache, for which an antigen test was performed that was positive for SARS-CoV-2. This Saturday he received the results of the PCR test and, according to the statement from the Presidential Medical Unit, he was infected with coronavirus.
“The diagnosis of COVID-19 infection is confirmed by receiving the positive PCR, making it clear that the clinical picture is mild due in large part to the protective effect of the vaccine received,” says the official statement signed by the doctor Federico Saavedra .
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“I want to convey that today, I have evaluated the president who is stable, asymptomatic, with parameters within normal ranges,” he adds.
“I wanted to tell you that at the end of today, after presenting a fever record of 37.3 and a slight headache, I performed a proof of antigen whose result was positive, “wrote the president on his Twitter account in the early hours of this Saturday.
Before confirming the contagion, Fernández isolated himself and complied with the current protocol, according to the Presidency. Fernández, who on January 21 received the first dose of the Sputnik-V vaccine and on February 11 was inoculated with the second, confessed that he feels fine.
“I feel good,” Fernández told AM 750 radio, where he explained that the doctor had fully reviewed him. “I don’t have any worrisome symptoms,” he added.
Why was it infected?
Alberto Fernández, affirmed this Saturday that had he not applied the two doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, from the Russian center Gamaleya, he would go through a bad time after contracting COVID-19.
“I have no idea how I got it. I am someone who takes great care of herself. If it weren’t for the vaccine, I’d be having a really bad time”He said in his first public statement, with radio 750, after communicating the positive result of an antigen test at midnight on Friday.
His wife, Fabiola Yáñez, 39, reported on social media that her antigen test came back negative.
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The Gamaleya laboratory regretted what happened. “We are saddened to learn of this (the contagion of Fernández). Sputnik V is 91.6% effective against infection and 100% effective against severe cases. If the infection is confirmed, vaccination ensures a quick recovery without serious symptoms. We wish him a speedy recovery, ”he wrote on Twitter.
Politicians and officials who were in contact with Fernández in the last 48 hours had to isolate themselves, such as the head of the bloc of pro-government deputies, Máximo Kirchner, son of the vice president and ex-president Cristina Kirchner, who was not reported to have met with the chief of State in the last hours.
“With a dose of Sputnik V, only 20% will develop any symptoms after infection, mildly and without hospitalization,” Mario Lozano, a virologist with the state Council for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina, told reporters.
In Argentina, of 45.4 million inhabitants, 4.1 million people have been vaccinated as of Saturday. The country is suffering from the second wave of coronavirus. It registers more than 2.3 million infections and exceeds 56,000 deaths.
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In total, Argentina has received 6.7 million doses of covid-19 vaccines so far, of which 3.9 million are from Sputnik V.
The former president of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wished this Saturday a “quick recovery” to the Argentine president Alberto Fernández, who tested positive for covid-19 in an antigen test, despite having received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine .
“From here in Brazil I send you good energy, hoping for a quick recovery. May he soon overcome that disease to continue to be vigilant for the Argentine people. Hugs, partner! ”, Lula, who maintains a close relationship with the Argentine president, said on his social networks.