Brazilian President Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on Tuesday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Bolsonaro on Monday took a fourth test for COVID-19 and an X-ray of his lungs, after having a 38-degree fever.

Bolsonaro on Saturday exercised his veto power to water down parts of a national law that would require the use of face masks on public transportation, in commercial and religious places and other enclosed public spaces.

In addition, Bolsonaro spoke publicly against quarantine measures and tried to overrule measures enforced by state and municipal governments, citing impacts on the economy.

He was stopped by a Supreme Court ruling which stated that local governments can formulate quarantine and social distancing regulations despite federal government’s actions.

Brazil has suffered the second largest COVID-19 outbreak in the world,

just after the United States. The country’s death toll has surpassed 65,000 on Monday, with 1,623,284 confirmed cases.

Some 927,292 patients have recovered from the disease, the ministry said.

The state of Sao Paulo, the country’s most populated, is also the hardest hit by the pandemic, with 323,070 cases and 16,134 deaths, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 121,879 cases and 10,698 deaths.

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Source: Xinhua