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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19, says he is taking hydroxychloroquine

pharmafile | July 8, 2020 | News story | Research and Development Brazil, COVID-19, President of Brazil 

Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, has tested positive for COVID-19 and says he treating the virus with hydroxychloroquine.

The President took a test on Monday after developing symptoms including a high temperature, a cough, fatigue and body aches.

This followed a meeting at the US embassy in Brasilia for a 4th July lunch and staff at the embassy are currently being tested for the virus.

The President has said he treating himself with hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug popularized by President Donald Trump. He told the press: “Today I’m a lot better, so certainly it’s working. We know today there are other remedies that can help fight the coronavirus. We know none of them have their efficacy scientifically proven, but I’m one more person for whom this is working. So I trust hydroxychloroquine.”

Bolsonaro has become infamous during the pandemic for continually playing down the threat of the virus and refusing to implement strict lockdown measures at a federal level. This is despite Brazil being one of the worst hit nations with 65,000 deaths and 1.5 million infections.

The President of Brazil is the latest world leader to contract the virus, following British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Prince Charles, President Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras and Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Conor Kavanagh

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