President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro. Photo / Getty Images
President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro. Photo / Getty Images
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has denied earlier reports that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
Bolsonaro and his communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, who met US President Donald Trump last weekend at his Florida resort, were both reported to have tested positive for Covid-19.
A newspaper in Brazil today reported that Bolsonaro - who recently described the pandemic as a "fantasy" - had tested positive.
The newspaper said the report was "based on sources with first-hand knowledge inside the presidential palace" just days after an official visit to the US.
"He waits for the result of the counter-proof this Friday (13) to confirm the contamination" according to a translation in the local news outlet Jornal Odia.
President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro. Photo / Getty Images
"There is tension in the air. Despite spending quiet time on TV, and asking the people to avoid the streets (a clear cancellation of the call for Sunday's pro-government demonstrations), Bolsonaro does not hide the evidence.
"He appeared in a mask this morning and did not leave the Palácio da Alvorada, the official residence."
Major Rio de Janeiro newspaper reporting that president Jair Bolsonaro’s first test has come back positive for coronavirus https://t.co/f7yTVDtwDG
He is expected to declare a national emergency in the US.
Mr Bolsonaro – who has been dubbed a "Tropical Trump" – and Brazilian Communications Secretary Fabio Wajngarten were among a delegation of Brazilian government officials who dined with Trump and US Vice President Mike Pence at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday.
It's not clear if the US President is also undergoing testing for the virus that has become a global pandemic.
Earlier, Trump said he was "not concerned" about his direct encounter with Mr Wajngarten.
"I did hear something about that," he said.
"We had dinner together in Florida, in Mar-a-Lago, with the entire delegation.
"I don't know if the press aide was there. If he was there, he was there. But we did nothing very unusual.
"During the past year, obviously, we have had moments of crisis. A lot of that is fantasy. And coronavirus, which is not (what) all the mainstream media makes it out to be," he said.
