Bolsonaro says 'Dhanyavaad' to Modi for vaccine exports

Brasilia: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said "Dhanyavaad" (thank you) to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping the South American nation with Covid-19 vaccine exports.

Taking to Twitter on Friday night, the President said: "Namaskar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi... Brazil is honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle.

"Thank you for helping us with vaccine exports from India to Brazil. Dhanyavaad!"

Bolsonaro's message comes after Bharat Biotech Limited had announced on January 12 that it has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos for supplying Covaxin doses to Brazil.

Covaxin, India's indigenous Covid-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, is being made in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV).

Meanwhile, 92 countries have approached India for Covid-19 vaccines, including Brazil, which currently accounts for the third highest coronavirus caseload in the world and the second largest death toll.

The country has sent a special plane to pick up Indian vaccines from Pune.

It is expected to fly the first 2 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine purchased by the government's Fiocruz biomedical institute.

According to media report from Sao Paulo, Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said the documentation is ready for bringing the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine being produced at the Serum Institute of India in Pune.

As of Saturday morning, Brazil's overall coronavirus caseload and death toll stood at 8,753,920 and 215,243, respectively.