Venezuela inoculates health workers in Caracas hospital

Venezuelan health workers vaccinate colleagues with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a hospital, in Caracas, Venezuela February 22, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

One of the main hospitals in Venezuela's capital of Caracas is vaccinating health workers against COVID-19 and on Tuesday will begin the inoculation of Cuban doctors who are stationed there, the hospital's director said on Monday.

The Ana Francisca de Perez de Leon hospital on Friday began inoculating personnel with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, director Zaida Medina told Reuters.

"We have vaccinated 157 people so far during the day in this health center and we hope today (Monday) at midnight to cover the maximum, which is 1,935 workers," said Medina, an intensive care physician and epidemiologist.

A Venezuelan health worker shows a syringe as colleagues are being vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a hospital, in Caracas, Venezuela February 22, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

"Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be vaccinating the aid workers (...) at the Cuban medical mission in our hospital center," she said, referring to doctors from the allied nation who work in Venezuela under a cooperation agreement created by late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.

She did not say how many Cuban doctors work at the hospital.

Venezuela received the first 100,000 doses of Sputnik V on Feb 13 and has said it invested $200 million to buy 10 million doses.

A Venezuelan health worker shows a vaccination card for school children and adults as health workers are being vaccinated with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19, at a hospital, in Caracas, Venezuela February 22, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Venezuela has reported 136,068 infections and 1,316 deaths, according to official data as of Sunday, but medical experts and opposition leaders believe the figure is higher.

(Reporting by Johnny Carvajal and Efrain Otero, writing by Vivian Sequera; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are seen in cold storage, at a hospital, in Caracas, Venezuela February 22, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

A Venezuelan health worker prepares a syringe with Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a hospital, in Caracas, Venezuela February 22, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria