MEXICO, February 3. /TASS/. Mexico’s Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Coferpis) has issued a permission for the emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell told reporters.

"Cofepris has just issued a permission for the emergency use of Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya Center," he said. "Therefore, an opportunity has been created to import and use it."

He said the news of another vaccine obtaining state registration in Mexico was optimistic. Earlier on Tuesday, Lopez-Gatell said the country’s Health Minister Jorge Alcocer had signed a contract for deliveries of the Russian vaccine.

According to the Mexican Health Ministry’s assessments, about 2.06 million cases of the novel coronavirus have been registered in the country since late February 2020, a total of 159,533 infected patients have died.

The country launched vaccination of its medical personnel against COVID-19 on December 24, 2020. By now, more than 677,500 doses of the vaccine produced by US company Pfizer have already been used by the government of Mexico.