Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tests Positive for Corona Virus

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for the coronavirus after displaying symptoms associated with the covid 19 disease. The 65-year-old who has been feeling ill since Sunday announced his test results to journalists and is reportedly taking hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug touted by US President Donald Trump as well as azithromycin.

Bolsonaro whose country has suffered one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus, with more than 1.6 million cases o and over 65,000 deaths, has consistently downplayed corona virus describing it as a little flu.

Although Brazil’s cases of covid19 are second highest after the US, Bolsonaro has turned down efforts to curb the pandemic, arguing that quarantining people and closing the economy will turn Brazil into an impoverished “African” nation.

In April this year, Bolsonaro fired his previous Health Minister Luiz Mandetta and appointed Nelson Teich who resigned in less than a month amidst a chaotic pandemic response.  The President has been holding rallies and personally greeting supporters, pointing out that “We will all die one day.” In some gatherings, he has been seen coughing repeatedly, though he now wears a mask in public.