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Bolsonaro admits he has the symptoms associated to Covid-19: results from tests to be made public on Tuesday

Tuesday, July 7th 2020 - 09:56 UTC
Full article 7 comments
Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace that he had just visited the hospital and been tested for the virus, adding that an exam had shown his lungs were “clean.” Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace that he had just visited the hospital and been tested for the virus, adding that an exam had shown his lungs were “clean.”

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday he had undergone another test for the novel coronavirus, after local media reported he had symptoms associated with the COVID-19 respiratory disease, including a fever.

Bolsonaro told supporters outside the presidential palace that he had just visited the hospital and been tested for the virus, adding that an exam had shown his lungs were “clean.”

Bolsonaro told CNN Brazil that he underwent an X-ray of his lungs at a military hospital as a precaution, and that the virus test results would come on Tuesday.

CNN Brazil and newspaper Estado de S Paulo reported that he had symptoms of the disease, such as a fever. The president's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of the virus, even as Brazil has suffered one of the world's worst outbreaks, with more than 1.6 million confirmed cases and 65,000 related deaths, according to official data on Monday.

The right-wing populist has often defied local guidelines to wear a mask in public, even after a judge ordered him to do so in late June. On Monday, the far-right leader made more changes to weaken a law requiring that face masks be worn in public places in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

He had already watered down the Bill on Friday by vetoing several articles, including ones requiring employers to supply face masks for their staff and another mandating that public authorities should provide face coverings for “economically vulnerable people”.

Now he has also vetoed articles requiring masks be worn in prisons and another obliging businesses to provide information on how to wear masks properly. Some states have already made the wearing of masks mandatory, but this was the first such law on a national level.

Over the weekend, Bolsonaro attended multiple events and was in close contact with the US ambassador to Brazil during Jul 4 celebrations. Bolsonaro previously tested negative for the coronavirus after several aides were diagnosed following a visit to US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in March.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Pugol-H

    Early doors, you never know it could turn out to be the severe form.

    Jul 08th, 2020 - 11:05 pm +1
  • Pytangua

    First Johnson, now Bolsonaro, and hopefully next will be Trump

    Jul 07th, 2020 - 10:33 am 0
  • MarkWhelan

    The only worry I have from this is that if he is found to have COVID-19 “Our Illustrious President” will, once recovered, say that he survived the virus and as he has recovered and no longer infectious he is not required to wear a mask.

    Actually I have in reality many things to worry about but as they do not relate to this news article I will “Shut Up.”

    Jul 07th, 2020 - 02:33 pm 0
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