BREAKING: Brazilian President Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19

By Aaron Humes: CNN reports that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro personally announced on Brazilian TV channels today, Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

“Everyone knew that it would reach a considerable part of the population sooner or later. It was positive for me,” Bolsonaro said, referring to the Covid-19 test he took Monday.

Earlier on Tuesday Bolsonaro’s press office told CNN affiliate CNN Brasil that the President was being treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as he awaited the result of his fourth Covid-19 test in four months.

The President, who was wearing a mask, warned people to not get near him. “You can’t get very close [to me], OK? Recommendation for everyone,” Bolsonaro said.

CNN Brasil reported Monday that the President said he was showing symptoms consistent with Covid-19, including a 38 degree Celsius fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

Bolsonaro’s office told CNN Brasil Tuesday that his temperature was normal.

Bolsonaro has derided coronavirus as just a “little flu,” and previously appeared in public and at rallies without a mask, even hugging supporters.

He has encouraged the country to reopen, even as the number of cases rise and has criticized local governments’ efforts to stamp out the virus through social distancing measures, such as quarantine and shelter-in-place orders.

Brazil is second only to the United States in numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths. More than 65,000 people have died of the virus in Brazil, according to figures released by the country’s health ministry on Monday, and 1,623,284 cases have been confirmed so far.

CNN says Bolsonaro’s positive result comes just days after he attended a July 4th commemoration event with the US Ambassador to Brazil, Todd Chapman.

Images from the gathering show Bolsonaro not wearing a mask or observing social distancing. In one picture, he stands next to several US and Brazilian officials, including Chapman, none of whom was wearing a face covering.

Chapman stood directly next to Bolsonaro in the photo, with his arm around the president. Brazil’s foreign minister, Ernesto Araújo, was pictured on the other side of Bolsonaro.

Chapman also shared an image of himself next to Bolsonaro on his official Twitter account, writing that he was “honored” to receive the Brazilian president on July 4th.

CNN has called the US Embassy in Brasília and contacted the US State Department for comment on whether the ambassador or other officials have been tested for Covid-19.

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