This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On July 7, 2020, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, but claimed to be feeling "perfectly well" with only mild symptoms.
Bolsonaro, 65, has been a vocal critic of containment measures and has repeatedly minimized the risks of the virus, which has killed 65,000 people in Brazil and infected 1.6 million.
According to Bolsonaro, he started feeling unwell on Sunday and his condition worsened on Monday, with symptoms including tiredness, illness, and a fever of 38 degrees Celsius.
Despite his positive test result, Bolsonaro insisted that he was feeling "good, calm" and removed his face mask to emphasize the point.
"Life goes on. We're going to take care, particularly of old people and those with illnesses that are a risk factor," Bolsonaro said in a television interview.
On Monday, Bolsonaro announced that he had taken a test and undergone an X-ray of his lungs at a military hospital as a precaution.
Local media reported that Bolsonaro had cleared his schedule for the week.
