MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's death toll, 50,432; batch of AstraZeneca vaccine from India expected Wednesday

Since the first case was detected on March 3, 2020, some 1,838,291 people infected with the virus have recovered, the health ministry added.

Argentina on Tuesday reported 4,003 new COVID-19 cases and 106 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 2,033,060 and the death toll to 50,432, the health authorities said. Since the first case was detected on March 3, 2020, some 1,838,291 people infected with the virus have recovered, the health ministry added.

This Wednesday, the first batch of the Covishield vaccine, 580,000 doses, produced by the Serum Institute of India is set to arrive in Argentina, the ministry said. The vaccine was developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University but produced by the Serum Institute, the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines.

Argentina has been applying the Russian Sputnik V vaccine since Dec. 29 to its healthcare workers and aims to expand its vaccination drive.

Argentine health officials have said they will use the additional doses to finish vaccinating front-line healthcare workers, then begin inoculating security forces, teachers and the elderly.

This Wednesday, the capital city of Buenos Aires will be the country's first district to begin the 2021 school year with in-person classes.

Argentina will keep lockdown measures till Feb. 28 to curb the spread of the virus.