Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said that he was taking antibiotics for an infection that has left him weak, after he was diagnosed with the COVID-19 earlier this month. "I just had a blood test. I was a little weak yesterday. I have a bit of an infection and I'm on antibiotics now," the BBC reported citing Bolsonaro as saying in a livestream video on Thursday.
Bolsonaro said he had "mould in my lungs", without elaborating, after spending almost a month in quarantine at his presidential residence. The President tested positive for coronavirus on July 7, but has since been given the all clear.
Bolsonaro underwent four COVID-19 tests in 18 days, tested positive thrice
According to official information, Bolsonaro underwent four COVID-19 tests in 18 days and tested positive thrice.
His wife, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro and the country's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Marcos Pontes tested positive for the virus on Thursday, the presidential palace said. Two of the President's close aides are also now quarantined at home after testing positive -- Citizenship Minister Onyx Lorenzoni and Education Minister Milton Ribeiro.
Two other ministers, Bento Albuquerque, who is in charge of mines and energy, and Augusto Heleno, who heads the institutional security cabinet, tested positive in March, but quickly recovered.
Bolsonaro has previously compared COVID-19 to a "little flu" and complained about lockdown measures and their effect on the economy. Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths at 2,610,102 and 91,263, respectively.
