Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Published : July 8, 2020 11:33 AM IST
Bolsonaro started experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 including high temperature and cough on Sunday.
No one is safe from the COVID-19 virus, which is infecting people of all demographic groups. Many world leaders have also fallen sick from the viral illness that has killed over 5 lakh people worldwide. The latest on the list is Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The 65-year-old leader confirmed the test results in a TV interview on Tuesday where he was seen wearing a mask.
Bolsonaro said that he had started experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 including high temperature and cough on Sunday. His condition worsened on Monday, which prompted him to take the coronavirus test. This is the fourth time he has taken the test. All his previous three COVID-19 tests came back negative. The fever had gone down and he is feeling "very well", Bolsonaro informed people during the TV interview.
To treat the illness, he said he was taking hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, an antibiotic. However, neither of these drugs has been proven to be effective against the coronavirus.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the impact of coronavirus, calling it as "little flu", despite Brazil being one of the worst-hit countries. So far, Brazil has reported the second-highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, after the US. Back in April, the Brazilian President had said that he would not be seriously affected and it would be more like a "little flu or a little cold". He had even accused the media of spreading panic and opposed the lockdowns, saying that it will hurt the economy.
Here are a few other political leaders from across the world who were tested positive for coronavirus:
Boris Johnson, who is 56 years old, tested positive for coronavirus on March 27 and was quarantined at his official country residence. He had to be hospitalised and moved into intensive care after his condition worsened on April 6. He has now recovered from the virus.
The 54-year-old Russian leader tested positive for the novel coronavirus on April 30, after which he checked himself into hospital. Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov was named interim prime minister, but he continued to participate in meetings via video-link wearing a suit and tie. Mikhail Mishustin returned to his duties on May 19 after recovering from the disease.
The Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne tested positive for COVID-19 after he showed mild symptoms on March 25. The 71-year-old remained in self-isolation at a royal estate in Scotland. He came out of self-isolation on March 30 after recovering from the viral infection. In a video address later, the prince said that he feels better and but he's still practicing social distance and isolation.
Spain's deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo tested positive for coronavirus on March 25. The 62-year-old politician later in April took to Twitter to inform that she has recovered from the novel coronavirus and returned to work physically.
Yaakov Litzman tested positive for COVID-19 in April. His wife also contracted the virus, and the couple had to be kept in isolation.
Iranian Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar had to be quarantined at home after she tested positive for the coronavirus infection on February 27.
Hancock tested positive for coronavirus on March 27. He made the announcement on Twitter and said that his symptoms are mild and that he's working from home & self-isolating.
Michel Barnier announced on March 19 that he has tested positive for COVID-19. "I am doing well and in good spirits. I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team," he wrote on Twitter.
Peter Dutton tested positive for coronavirus on March 13 and was admitted to hospital in the northeastern state of Queensland. He was released from self-isolation after nearly a month with COVID-19.
Sophie Gr goire Trudeau was tested positive for the coronavirus, shortly after returning from a trip to the United Kingdom in March. She and her husband went into a 14-day period of self-isolation.
