After died in a trial of Oxford University’s coronavirus vaccine, the volunteer has been identified.
Known, the medic was taking part in the AstraZeneca trial in a Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) obituary, Brazil.
As information, the pharmaceutical giant is developing the vaccine in partnership with Oxford University.
Joao – who graduated in July 2019 – was part of the control group that was given a meningitis vaccine.
Part of the UFRJ’s tribute to João reads: “The Rectorate of UFRJ – together with the entire university community – offers sincere condolences to the family and friends of our former student in the midst of this moment of sadness that took the life of Joao, who had just graduated and spared no effort to act in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, which has accumulated over 40 million cases worldwide.”
It remains unclear how Joao contracted the disease. But, the National Health Surveillance Agency’s (Anvisa) president-director Antonio Barra said that tests would continue.
So far, 8,000 of the planned 10,000 volunteers in the trial have been recruited and given the first dose in six cities in Brazil and many have already received the second shot.
Brazil has experienced the second deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus, with more than 154,000 killed – following the US.
It has the third-largest number of cases, with more than 5.2 million infected, after the US and India.
