PRETORIA, December 31. /TASS/. About 35 people, including a cabinet member, received the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V in Guinea on Wednesday, Russia’s Ambassador to Guinea Vadim Razumovsky, who was invited the attend the vaccination procedure, told TASS.

"The [event] took place in an upbeat atmosphere at the Sekhoutoureah Palace in the capital," Razumovsky said. "Among those who received the vaccine was Guinea’s Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and National Defense Mohamed Diane."

"Having received the vaccine, they said words of great appreciation for the opportunity to get protected against coronavirus. For my part, I congratulated them on this milestone event," he added.

Guinea has become the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa that has begun using the Sputnik V vaccine. Guinea’s Health Ministry told TASS that the National Health Security Agency (Agence Nationale de S·curit· Sanitaire - ANSS) initiated the program. After studying the vaccines available in the word market, the choice was made in favor of some of them, including the Russian vaccine, the health ministry noted. The ANSS is a key body in Guinea’s healthcare system and enjoys a high authority across Africa.

To date, Guinea has recorded 13,688 cases and 80 deaths.

Many African nations show interest in Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine . Among them are the two most populous African states of Nigeria and Ethiopia that received all the documentation from Russia and are considering it.