Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for coronavirus.
He took the test, his fourth, on Monday after developing symptoms, including a high temperature.
Mr. Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down risks of what he has called the “little flu”, saying he would not be seriously affected. He has opposed lockdowns, which he says hurt the economy.
Brazil has the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the world, after the US.
What did Mr. Bolsonaro say?
He made the announcement in a TV interview on Tuesday, saying the fever he had been experiencing had gone down and that he felt “very well”.
Mr. Bolsonaro said that he had started experiencing symptoms on Sunday. He said he had had a high temperature, a cough and had felt unwell.
Back in April, Mr. Bolsonaro said that even if infected, he would “not have to worry as I wouldn’t feel anything, at most, it would be like little flu or a little cold”.
The number of COVID-19-related deaths and infections – at that time under 3,000 and 40,000 – has since soared.
Despite this, President Bolsonaro has argued that regional lockdowns are having a more damaging effect than the virus itself, and accused the media of spreading panic and paranoia.
He has attended a number of public events without a mask, even when local rules required him to wear one.
Source: BBC.com
