TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Brazil's Bolsonaro awaits new test to show if he is COVID-19 free

News Desk (Reuters)
Sao Paulo/Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Wed, July 22, 2020

Share This Article

Change Size

Brazil's Bolsonaro awaits new test to show if he is COVID-19 free Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro attends the inauguration ceremony of the Main Space Operations Center of the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite in Brasilia, Brazil June 23, 2020.Bolsonaro said on Tuesday that he took another coronavirus test and the results were expected Wednesday as he hopes for a negative result two weeks since falling ill. (Reuters/Adriano Machado)

B

razilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday that he took another coronavirus test and the results were expected Wednesday as he hopes for a negative result two weeks since falling ill.

"I did the test now. Early tomorrow the results will come out," Bolsonaro told supporters, speaking at a distance across the moat in front of his official residence.

"If God wants to give a negative, things will return to normal."

Outside of the United States, Brazil is the worst-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic. The presidents of both countries have played down the extent of the crisis.

Bolsonaro is one of nearly 2.2 million people in Brazil who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to health ministry statistics released on Tuesday.

More than 81,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil.

Bolsonaro tested positive for the novel coronavirus on July 7 but by the next day said he was already feeling well. A follow-up test last week also came back positive for the virus.

Bolsonaro has previously said he has taken the anti-malarial drug hydroxycloroquine - unproven for treating coronavirus but touted by US President Donald Trump - and credits the medication as the reason for his mild symptoms.

He said that he will travel to the northeastern state of Piaui on Friday, presuming he is well.

With the toll of the pandemic rising rapidly, Brazil is also a major center for testing potential vaccines for the virus. On Tuesday, human trials of a second vaccine began and the government approved trials of a third.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.